Forever Blue
by cobalt-blue
Summary: A clean sweep to the angst fest
1. Default Chapter

DISCLAIMER: I don't own them, I'm just playing with them.  
  
TEAM: MMPR; Post Forever Red.  
  
SETTING: Sometime between 2014 and 2018 with flashbacks for periods up to then.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is a companion piece to FOREVER BLUSH, my take on why Jason was late to the FOREVER RED mission. I'm hoping I'm good enough a writer so that you don't have to read that piece to understand this one, but if you need to, it's on this board. A special thanks to THE GIRL IN THE RED JACKET for pointing out some things about Jay's speech patterns to me. Also an apology to Dagmar Buse for stealing the name Jay Oliver for Tommy's first born son. It just fit best for this story, and there's a reason he's not named after Billy, as described later in this chapter.  
  
Thanks for reading and reviewing.  
  
  
Jay Oliver smiled at his departing godfather and namesake and said, "Thank you for the present, Uncle Jason." Jason Scott had come over to his house that night, the night before his thirteenth birthday to give him his birthday gift early- just like he did ever year for as long as Jay could remember. Jay loved his godfather as if he were a blood relative, and loved to spend as much time with the man as possible. The older man was not only one of the finest martial artists he'd ever met, and his own father's best friend, but he just seemed to ooze a calm strength that Jay found himself basking in on many occasions. Most importantly, he was the father of his best friend in the world, Trini Anne.  
  
"You're welcome, Jay," Jason tousled the boy's hair. "Anytime." He gave Jay a sad smile, "I hope you like it."  
  
"I'm sure I will, Uncle Jason." It was true; Jason always seemed to know just what gift would please the young man the most. It was never anything extravagant, or expensive, just something that would make him happy. Jay wished that he could take away the sad look he saw in his uncle's eyes far too often.  
  
"I'd better get home. I have to take Trini's to her grandmother's. She's staying with her tonight, but she's planning on being here for your party tomorrow," Jason smiled.  
  
"Uncle Jason?" Jay asked.   
  
The tall dark haired man turned and smiled at him, "Yes?"  
  
"Couldn't you please come tomorrow? Just this once?" For some reason Jason had never made it to one of Jay's birthday parties. He would always drop off his gift the night before, claiming that he had something important that had to be done and could only be done on this day. When he was younger Jay had a secret fantasy that his uncle was a superhero and had to go off and recharge his powers on this day every year. Now that he was almost a teenager, he didn't quite get caught up in those kinds of fantasies anymore. Now he just assumed his godfather had something else he had to do. Something important enough to keep him away from family. He'd asked Trini about it once, but all she could tell him was that she always spent that day with her grandmother, and had no idea what this mysterious something was. He'd asked his father, and he wouldn't discuss it, saying it was a grownup matter and hoped he never would understand. Which was something that confused Jay, because normally his father would talk to him about anything. After seeing the haunted look in his father's eyes, Jay had not asked again.  
  
But being a boy on the cusp of his teenage years, he couldn't help but wonder. He was a year older now, and maybe a year wiser. He'd discovered in the past, that sometimes his mom would discuss things with him, his father wouldn't. Checking the clock, he realized that his dad wouldn't be home from the dojo for another two hours, so made his way toward his mom's sewing room.  
  
  
Kim sat in the room Jay, and Tommy liked to call her sewing room, looking out the window at the bright California afternoon. When Jason had arrived, they'd talked for a while and then she'd withdrawn to here, to keep her son from seeing her upset. She'd tried to convince Jase to come to Jay's party tomorrow- it would mean so much to her son, and he was already starting to ask questions- questions to which the answers were becoming more difficult to hide. Besides, it was time he did something other than putter around that cavern he called a house on the anniversary of Billy's death. It wasn't good for him. She understood his reluctance, and never wanted him to forget, God knows she wouldn't- but it was time he lived again. She knew that Jase didn't blame her, but sometimes, especially the closer they got Jay's birthday, she blamed herself. She knew it wasn't her fault, but all the emotions that had been tied up in her labor and what she'd been told right afterward just wouldn't let go of her.   
  
Although the Olivers and their circle of friends had made it a point to look at the beauty and joy of tomorrow, for her and Jason that joy would always be tinged by sadness. Kim did her best to hide it from her son, and Tommy adamantly refused to discuss it, but sometimes it was hard for her, hence, her retreating to the sewing room to hide her tears. It wasn't fair to Jay, but she had no desire for him to feel any guilt for what had happened on the day he was born. It wasn't his fault. It was just one of those unfortunate coincidents of timing. Although thinking of her son, she really couldn't think of it as unfortunate- she and he might have died if things had been different, still it left her with a hole in her heart she didn't ever think she would fill.  
  
A soft knock came at the door. "Mom?" her son called.  
  
"Yes, honey?" she wiped her eyes, hid the picture she was looking at in her apron and looked.  
  
"Uncle Jason just left." Then seeing his mother's red eyes, "Mom, are you crying?" Jay had always been a perceptive child, and as he grew older he seemed to have inherited Kim's open heart.   
  
Kim smiled weakly at him, "It's nothing. It's just the pollen."  
  
"Mom," Jay said. "Please don't."  
  
"Don't' what honey?" she asked.  
  
Jay seemed to consider his words carefully. Kim could tell he was trying to come to some kind of decision. Finally he seemed to reach a conclusion, drew his shoulders back and said carefully, "I was going to say don't cry." He looked down for a moment then looking back up, he said, "but I was thinking, please don't lie to me."  
  
"Jay!" Kim protested. "What a thing to say!" She stood, and slipped the tissue into her pocket.  
  
"Mom?" Jay's voice suddenly seemed small again. "Why does my birthday make you cry?" Jay Oliver had never felt an unwanted child, quite the contrary, he was much loved and cared for- not only by his parents, but by the rather tight group of friends they shared- but he also had always felt that his birth had cost his family a great deal. He didn't know what it had cost them, but he knew there was a loss there. It was one of the reasons he spent so much time and energy trying not to disappoint his parents- to make them never regret giving up whatever it was. "Why are you and Uncle Jason always so sad on my birthday." Last year, he'd even seen his godfather crying as he left the house. That had shaken Jay to the core. Uncle Jase's strength had always been one of the fundamental foundations of his life, and to see him brought to tears by something had unnerved him greatly.  
  
Kim silently cursed herself. This was exactly what she'd feared would happen. She never liked the idea of keeping the story away from Jay, but Tommy had insisted on not talking about it, and she could never bring herself to burden her son with the story. Now she wondered if that was such a good idea. Screwing up her courage, she looked at her son. If Tommy and Jase wouldn't explain things to her son, then it was up to her. Smiling gently she said, "I want to tell you a story, Jay. But first why don't you go fix us some tea and then join me in here."   
  
Her son seemed to sense that she needed time to gather her thoughts, and nodded. "Yes, ma'am."  
  
After he left the room, Kim went over to the closet and took out some old worn photos. These were photos dating all the way back to when she was in elementary school- back to when it was a group of five friends who became very close after a year of tragedy struck each of their lives. Later, Tommy and then others would join them, but she seldom needed to be reminded that at first there were only five in the beginning, and now there were only four.   
  
A few minutes later, Jay joined her with two cups of hot tea- a taste she'd picked up from Kat- and a box of sugar cookies. She smiled at him, patted the window seat beside her and said, "Come here. I want to tell you about Trini's dad."  
  
Jay gave her a strange look, "You mean uncle Jase?"  
  
Kim shook her head, "No I mean her other dad."  
  
"Huh?" Jay asked.  
  
Kim smiled, "You're almost thirteen now. I think you're old enough to know about these things." She smiled at him and said, "Usually this is the kind of talk your father would have with you, but there are some things that are too painful for him."  
  
Her son asked, "And they aren't for you?"  
  
She smiled weakly at her son, "No. Actually in some ways they're more painful. But they go back to time when your dad and Uncle Jason were fighting."  
  
"Dad and Uncle Jason fought?" Jay asked. "I can't believe that. I mean they're so close."  
  
Kim smiled, "Your dad and Jase have been close for a long time. But that hasn't always been the case. Twice in their lives they've fought. She didn't tell her son that the first of those occasions, Tommy had done his level best to kill Jason and only Billy's quick thinking had saved both teenagers. You know your Uncle Jason and I have been friends for a very long time, longer than I've even known your dad."  
  
Jay smiled. He'd been told about how his mom had had four friends she'd grown up with. How they'd always been close, and still were. He nodded, "Yeah, you and Uncle Jase, and Aunt Trini, and Uncle Zack all went to school together."  
  
Kim smiled at her son, and couldn't help but notice the affection in his voice when he named off her closest friends. Although none of them really were blood related, their children all called and thought of the adults as aunts and uncles. "We had another friend too," Kim forced the tears that wanted to well up in her eyes back.   
  
Jay nodded, "Billy, the one who died, the one nobody talks about."  
  
Kim nodded at him in surprise. She hadn't realized that her friends had shut Billy's memory out of their lives. Maybe that was why Jase was always so morose on Jay's birthday. If nobody would talk about Billy, maybe he felt he had to do something to keep the former Blue Ranger's memory alive. Billy deserved better than that, so did Jason. "Yeah, Billy." Coming to a decision she smiled, "You're right. Nobody ever talks about Billy, and I think that's wrong. It's not fair to his memory, it's not fair to Trini, it's not fair to you, and it's not fair to Jase."  
  
"What does he have to do with my birthday?" Jay asked, "And why is it not fair to Uncle Jase?"  
  
"Everything, Jay. If it weren't for Billy, there's a very good chance that neither you or me would be here having this conversation."  
  
"I don't understand," Jay said.   
  
Kim sighed. This was more difficult than she thought it would be. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Billy Cranston was probably the smartest man to ever live."   
  
"Cranston? That's part of Trini's last name."  
  
Kim smiled, "I know honey. There's a reason for that. Anyway, Billy and Jase had always been close. Considering how little they had in common, it was really surprising how close they were: Jason was always the athlete of us, but he had a strong big-brother streak in him. Billy on the other hand seemed to attract bullies. The first time they met, three bullies were beating up Billy, and Jason stopped it. From that moment on, the two were great friends, and over the next few months, we all got to know him." She shook her head, "But what I need to tell you is about a later time, and it deals with some grown up issues. Some issues that our society is only now coming to grips with."  
  
"What kind of issues?" Jay asked.  
  
Kim smiled. How do you tell a kid who's only recently had THE talk from his father about these kinds of things? Taking a deep breath she said, "Issues about people who are different."  
  
"You mean like racial differences?" Jay asked.  
  
Kim shook her head, "No, honey. You know Mr. Gardner, your science teacher?" She purposefully named Jay's favorite teacher. He nodded his head, "You know how he has a picture on his desk of him and his domestic partner?"  
  
Jay nodded his head, and it was clear that her son was thinking about what she was saying. Taking a moment to let him collect his thoughts, she waited until he finally said. "Are you saying that Uncle Jason and Billy were boyfriends? Like Mr. Gardner and his partner?"  
  
Kim nodded, "Yes, that's what I'm saying. To be honest with you I don't know when it happened or how it happened, your Uncle Jase has never talked about it to anybody."  
  
Jay looked up at her confused in a way only a twelve year old- soon to be thirteen could be. "Why not? I mean you and dad have always talked about the first time you met."  
  
"I know honey, but for Jason it's harder. You see, back then, same sex couples weren't as accepted as they are today," Kim told him.  
  
"Okay, but I mean you and dad are Uncle Jase's closest friends. You guys loved him, you wouldn't have a problem with him and Billy would you?" Jay couldn't understand how anyone could have a problem with two people in love.  
  
"There was more to it than that, honey," Kim tried to tell him.  
  
"How can there be more to it than that? I mean, he was STILL Uncle Jason wasn't he?"  
  
Kim smiled at how clear her son saw things. It was difficult to express how different things were just a few short years ago. "I know, but you see honey, when we found out about it, it was after your Dad and Jason had stopped talking to each other over something else that had happened."  
  
"What?" Jay demanded. She could tell her son wanted a justification for his father and his favorite uncle fighting. "What could make them fight?"   
  
Again Kim took a moment to gather her thoughts. How could she tell him about Billy's accident, without giving away that they'd been Rangers in the past. She expected one day to tell her son who his parents had been, when he was older, and when they knew he could understand the importance of keeping it a secret. Now, however, was not the time. "You see, your father and Jason and Billy had all worked together on a very important project. They had become very close, almost like brothers. Then Jason left the project for a while and came back. He came back though after Billy had moved from a position of being more active to one of support. I think that Jase had been upset about that, but kept it to himself. He thought Billy deserved better than to be put in the background. Anyway, Jason came back, and everything was fine for a while until your Uncle Jason got sick and had to quit. While he was recovering, Billy got hurt, and pretty badly too." She kept it to herself that he'd fallen fifty feet from a 'Zord when he collapsed from exhaustion. She still had her issues over that accident herself. She knew Tommy still blamed himself too for it. In the past they'd all taken care of most of their own maintenance themselves, but for some reason during the Zeo era, it all fell to Billy.   
  
"Your father had always blamed himself for Billy getting hurt, because he hadn't noticed how much Billy had been overworking himself. Billy was like that, he would work himself until he dropped if he thought it was important enough. Well, when Jason found out that Billy had gotten hurt, he came to visit. He heard what had happened and he blamed your father. They fought, and Jason took Billy with him back to LA." She smiled at her son, briefly debating how much to tell him. Finally deciding on as much of the truth as she could, she continued. "During the argument, your father said some pretty harsh words about Billy. He didn't mean them, he was angry- angry at himself for letting his friend get hurt and angry at your Uncle Jason for pointing it out. Anyway he accused Jason of always protecting Billy- which he did. He also always protected all of his friends, but for some reason, he always took extra care of watching out for Billy. Tommy told Jason that if he really wanted to protect Billy why didn't he just marry him." Kim smiled, "Which he ended up doing- or at least coming as close to doing as the law would let them at that time."  
  
"And that's why they stopped talking, because Uncle Jason and Billy became partners?"  
  
Kim smiled, "No honey, they stopped talking because of Billy getting hurt." She put her hand on her son's shoulder, "You have to understand something, Billy wasn't weak. He was just very giving, and he gave so much of himself to his friends, your father included, that he let himself get hurt. Your father was angry at himself, and he was angry at Jason, and you know how bull headed they both can be."  
  
Jay nodded. Before he could say anything though, another voice interrupted them, "Well, we were even worse back then." Turning to the door Kim saw her husband standing there smiling. He winked at her and said, "You know it's funny, but I came home early today to tell Jay this story. I think it's time we put it to rest."  
  
Kim stood, fighting back the tears in her eyes and went over to her husband and hugged him. She'd been hoping to hear those words for over a dozen years now. "I'm glad."  
  
Tommy kissed her gently on the head and entered the room where his son was sitting listening intently. "But what's this got to do with my birthday?" Jay asked.  
  
Tommy sat down cross-legged on the floor next to his son and said, "Your mother was about to get to that." He took a deep breath, and Kim could see him trying to collect his thoughts. "You see, neither your mom nor I heard from Jason or Billy for a couple of years after that. As a matter of the fact it took an emergency to get both of us in the same place again." Kim shuddered at the reminder of the Serpentera mission, when Tommy had once again donned the Zeo Powers and fought against the Machine Empire's last minions.   
  
"What happened?" Jay asked. "Did you two fight again?"  
  
Tommy smiled, "No. We just didn't talk. In the end, it took Billy and your Mom got us together at Trini's and Zack's." He smiled, "She was expecting you then, so she was very demanding when it came to getting her way, and I felt it wise to give her anything she wanted."  
  
He dodged the blow coming from his petit wife as she said, "I was not!"  
  
"Oh yes you were. You were hot, you were demanding and you were complaining of being fat." Tommy teased Kimberly.   
  
"Will you two stop teasing each other and finish your story?" Jay demanded with a playful smile.   
  
Tommy smiled, "Anyway, in the end, we ended up at Zack's and Trini's, thinking it was to meet Jason's new wife." Tommy shook his head, "Billy had only told your mom that Jason wanted us to meet someone, and that he was going to ask us to be godparents. We thought he'd gotten married."  
  
Jay shook his head and wondered, "Who did he want you to meet?"  
  
"Trini Anne," Kimberly said. "It was then that we found out that Jason and Billy had formed a family. They'd gone to Europe to have a special procedure done that would produce a baby that was both of theirs, and Trini Anne was the result."  
  
Jay looked closely at his dad. Kim watched her husband sweat under her son's questioning gaze, "I bet you were surprised at that."  
  
Tommy chuckled, "I was so surprised that I made a royal Jackass out of myself.  
  
"Dad!" Jay complained. "Over Trini?" Kim could tell that Jay was outraged at the idea of anybody not liking Trini Anne. The two were as close as she and Jason had ever been. Kimberly would never tell anyone this, but she had a secret desire in her heart that the two would eventually marry.  
  
Tommy nodded to his son sheepishly, "I'll admit, Jay. I was wrong. I was still too caught up in my own prejudices at the time to realize just how much Jason and Billy loved each other. I really didn't get my act together until it was too late. Much too late."  
  
"What do you mean?" Jay asked.  
  
"What neither of them told us at the time was that Billy was dying," Tommy told their son. She could still see the pain in her husband's eyes. The pain over the things he'd said about his friend, things that he could never ask forgiveness for now, because Billy was gone.  
  
"Dying?" Jay asked.  
  
Tommy nodded, "He'd gotten exposed to some radiation back when we worked on that project your mom was telling you about. Jason said that the only reason they'd called about that meeting was that Billy wanted your Uncle Jason and I to make up and be friends again, before he died."  
  
"He didn't want to make up with you?" Jay asked.  
  
Tommy shook his head, "You see, there's something about Billy you have to understand. Even thought I blamed myself for Billy's accident, and Jase blamed me, Billy never did. He just accepted as one of those things and went on. As far as he was concerned, we had nothing to make up for." He smiled again and said, "Anyway, I made such a jackass of myself that it was several weeks before we tried to get together again. It never happened, though."  
  
Kim picked up the story, "It was on a Saturday. You were due any day, and Jase and Billy were going to come over with Trini Anne. Your father had to go the race track- he was still racing NASCAR back then, and I was at home alone when there was a monster attack." She smiled at the litany of disasters that struck over the next few hours to keep the tears she knew was coming at bay. "About the time the power went out, I went into labor with you. Second's later one of the monsters exploded about a block over and the concussion knocked me down. I hit my head on the coffee table and passed out."   
  
Reaching into her pocket, Kim took out the tissue she' put there and wiped her eyes. She sighed and continued, "I came too, and Billy was there. He coaxed me through the delivery and when it was over he put you in my arms and stayed with me until your Uncle Adam and your Dad arrived." She ignored the stern look that Tommy was giving her, and plunged on, "You'll notice your dad is glaring at me. He doesn't like me to say that."   
  
"Why not?" Jay asked.  
  
"Because Billy had died in the hospital that morning when the monster attack occurred- two hours before you were born." She stared defiantly at her husband. "You can call me crazy, you can tell me I was hallucinating, but even Adam confirms that SOMEONE delivered Jay, and I say it was Billy."  
  
Jay looked at his mom incredulously. "You mean, that Uncle Jase's husband died on my birthday, two hours before he delivered me? I was delivered by a ghost." Kim nodded her head, feeling the tears well up in her eyes, unable to verbally reply. The boy turned to his father, "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell Trini?"  
  
"Trini Anne knows," Tommy told him.  
  
Jay couldn't believe that. They didn't keep secrets from each other, she would have told him! She was his best friend! "Why didn't she tell me?" he demanded.  
  
Kim looked over at her husband, "Tell him, Tommy." She smiled to take the sting out of her voice.  
  
Tommy looked at his son, "Because I asked her not to."  
  
"But why?" Jay asked, the emotion and betrayal in his voice apparent.   
  
"Because I didn't want you to feel sad on your birthday." Tommy told him.   
  
Jay looked at his mother and then his father. "I've got just one question to ask then."  
  
"What is it son?" Tommy asked.  
  
"If Billy was the one who delivered me, even after dying, why wasn't I named for him. That seems like something grownups do."  
  
Kim was surprised at her son's insightful question. She took a deep breath and told him the truth, "Because Jason asked us not to."  
  
He looked confused and hurt, "But why?"  
  
Tommy put a hand on his son's shoulder. Kim could see both their tear-bright eyes, so alike, "Not because he doesn't love you, Jase. Because he wanted to be able to love you more, and he was afraid that if we named you after Billy that he would always be reminded of his loss. He didn't want you, a person very special to him, to remind him of losing Billy." Tommy knelt and pulled his son in to his arms, "Do you understand that?"  
  
"I guess so," Jay said. Kim could see him fighting back sobs.  
  
After a few moments, her son pulled back from his father and nodded. Wiping his eyes on the back of his hands, he said, "I think I want to go to my room now." Turning to his mom, "Would you call me for supper?"  
  
Kim understood her son needed time to be alone. The telling had been hard on her, and she suspected that it was hard on him too. "Sure thing, Saaba," she used Tommy's pet name for their son.  
  
Turning to watch their son leave the room, Tommy put his arm around his wife. "What made you decide to tell him?"  
  
"He asked why his Uncle Jason and I were always sad on his birthday." Kim told him. Then remembering her earlier insight, "Do Jase or the others ever talk about Billy to you?"  
  
Tommy shook his head, "No. I think they think it might be too painful or embarrassing for me."  
  
Kim nodded, and stood up to leave. "Where are you going?" Tommy asked.  
  
She pulled her sweater from the closet, "Angel Grove Cemetery. I think I need to say hi to an old friend."  
  
  
  
  



	2. Out of the Mouths of Babes

Kim walked along the pathways of Angel Grove Cemetery thinking of her youth and all her friends. One particular friend being foremost on her mind today: Billy Cranston-Scott. She smiled at the memory of the first day she'd met the thin serious looking boy so many years ago. How he'd been so shy about talking to her.   
  
Later, after they'd been friends for a few years, Billy had told her that one of the things that had always made their friendship special to him was that she and Trini were the first pretty girls who'd ever been nice to him. Back then, that idea had bothered her a great deal. It was her nature to be nice to people no matter who they were, and it said a lot about how others had treated her sandy-haired friend.  
  
Working her way along the path, she looked up to the general direction of the headstone for which she was heading. A lone figure, a man dressed in light blue polo shirt and jeans was standing at Billy's Grave. His body language was such that he appeared to be speaking to someone, but she was still too far away to make out anything he was saying.  
  
As the path rounded a small grove of trees the headstone was momentarily obscured from her vision. When the grave was once again in sight, she saw that the visitor was gone. She briefly wondered who else was visiting her old friend this eve of the thirteenth anniversary of his death. Arriving at the gravesite she saw a single blue rose lying on edge of the stone.  
  
Fighting tears, she looked up at the double-stone: **_William Kevin Cranston-Scott October 4th 1978 – August 9th 2002_** . Next to his name was _**J****ason Scott-Cranston December 7th 1978 -**_. Of course the final date for Jason's name had been left blank. It was in mute testimony to the love that the two men had shared that Jason had ordered his name on the stone too. She shuddered despite the late summer warmth, and hugged herself. "We miss you Billy, Jason most of all. I'm worried about him. I'm not sure he's moved on yet, and I know you wouldn't want that for him."  
  
She sat down on a small blue and white marble bench the other Rangers had purchased in memoriam to the first of them to fall. For anyone who cared to look closely, mixed among all the animals pictured along its edges were a Tyrannosaur, Pterodactyl, Saber-toothed Tiger, Mastodon, and a Triceratops. Carved into the seat itself was head of a wolf. Sighing, she looked over the grave, "Trini is growing like a weed. She's going to be **some **young lady. I think before it's over, Jason is going to have to buy a shotgun to keep the boys at bay. That is if Jay, doesn't bust all their heads first." She laughed at the last, "Actually, she's more likely to do it herself. She's a lot like Jason: strong, brave, talented, and hell on wheels in the dojo. Of course she's a lot like you too. She definitely got your intelligence, but to be honest with you Billy, I think she handles it better than you did."  
  
A quiet calm settled over Kimberly as she sat recalling all the memories she shared with her friend- the good and the bad. She talked to the stone reminding herself of all their misadventures, both as Rangers and simply as friends. She caught Billy up on their friend's lives. She told him about the spate of births that seemed to follow nine months after he'd died. She smiled and said, "I think that maybe we all turned to each other to deal with your passing, and from our sorrow a new generation of life was created. Now, your daughter is a part of another group of five friends that seem as close as we ever were. "Zack and Trini had a daughter they named Wilhelmina," she grinned in mischief, "fortunately, they've shortened it to Mina. Adam and Kat had twin little boys that finish each other's sentences, named Aidan and Alexander." She told him about the children's exploits including the disastrous attempt to dig a fishpond in the Taylor's back yard that resulted in their hitting a waterline. She recalled some of their own adventures including Billy's Jason's and Zack's attempt to launch a rocket from the roof of Scott's home, and almost setting fire to the dwelling. She chuckled, "Trust me those five are enough like us, we're not letting them go anywhere near Angel Grove Forest without at least three adults with them," she summoned the memories of that summer so long ago, they'd had one of their greatest misadventures before they ever became Power Rangers. "I really wish you could see them all, Billy."  
  
So the afternoon passed with Kimberly quietly reconnecting with her memories of one of her dearest friends. Finally, as the sun dipped into the western sky, she got up and left, feeling much better than she had in a long time. Before she left she turned back to the grave, "I won't take so long to come back and visit next time."  
  


* * *

  
  
After quietly clearing the dinner table and loading the dishwasher, Jay came into the living room where his parents were sitting quietly reading. "Mom, Dad, I'm going over to Trini's for a few minutes."  
  
Without looking up his mom said, "Okay dear. Just don't be too long. You've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow."   
  
"I won't," Jay said. "I want to thank Uncle Jason for the birthday gift again."  
  
Tommy smiled at him, "Be sure to remind Jason that he's supposed to chaperone that field trip to the museum Monday."  
  
Jay smiled remembering his uncle's excitement about seeing the new pre-Christian Celtic exhibition at the Angel Grove Museum. Over the past the few years, his uncle had become something of an amateur archeologist, and had managed to even write a couple of well received articles for _National Geographic_. "Will do, Dad, but I don't think I'll have to remind him. He's been looking forward to it, more than we have."  
  
Jay left his house and headed down toward Trini's. He was unsure if his Uncle Jason had told his mom that Trini was staying with her grandmother tonight, but it was his best friend's father that he wanted to see, not her. Walking up the pathway to the huge house where Trini and her father lived, Jay felt his courage begin to waver. He wanted to know more about the man who'd died on the day Jay was born- supposedly delivering him two hours after dying- but he was afraid of hurting his uncle by prying too much. Of course it was Uncle Jason who'd told him that if he ever needed to talk, all he needed to do was ask.  
  
Jason was sitting on the front porch watching squirrels chase each other around his huge front yard as Jay approached. "Trini's at her grandmother's Jay," the burly man told him as he put down his glass of lemonade.  
  
"Hi, Uncle Jason, it's not Trini I want to talk to," Jay told him.  
  
Jason flashed him a smile, and said, "Well, grab you a glass of lemonade and pull up a chair."  
  
Jay smiled, "Thanks, but I'll settle for the chair."  
  
"What's on your mind?" Jason asked. "You look like you've got pretty heavy burden for a soon to be teenager."  
  
Jay laughed, "I wanted to talk you, but I'm not sure how to ask."   
  
Jason smiled, patted the chair next to him, "How 'bout just asking, Saaba?"   
  
Taking a deep breath, he plunged in, "Would you tell me about Trini's other father?" he said before he lost his nerve, "The one who died."   
  
The surprise in his uncle's face almost made Jay regret asking. But then the big man smiled and said, "What do you want to know?"  
  
Jay shrugged, "What was he like. I mean nobody ever talks to us kids about him."  
  
Jason chuckled, "Well, that's not entirely true. Trini and I talk about Billy quite a lot. I don't want her to grow up not knowing her father at all."  
  
"But she doesn't talk to us about him," Jay volunteered.  
  
Jason nodded and sighed, "That's one of the ways she's like him. You've known Trini all your life. You know she doesn't talk about her feelings very much."  
  
Jay nodded, "You can say that again. I thought girls were always wanting to talk about their feelings." The he shook his head, "But Trini sure won't."  
  
Jason smiled, "Billy was the same way. He called it the Cranston Way. I called it bottling things up."  
  
"Mom says that you guys grew up together. How did you meet?"  
  
Jason leaned back in his chair, picked up his lemonade and sighed, "I stopped four sixth graders from beating him up."  
  
"Mom said he used to get picked on a lot," Jay volunteered.  
  
Jason nodded, "Yeah, Billy sort of stood out when it came to attracting bullies. I think it had to do with the fact that he couldn't understand the concept of not doing his very best on anything he tried. I think he was hardwired to excel in academics, and there were some people who didn't appreciate what they saw as him showing off."  
  
"But he wasn't, was he?" Jay's comment was more of a statement than a question.  
  
Catching the tone in the boy's voice, Jason smiled, "No he wasn't. He was just being Billy."  
  
Jay looked up at his uncle. He didn't want to hurt the man, but he really wanted to know what kind of person would be good enough for Jason. "When, uh…, how…. Uh… how did you know you'd fallen in love with him." Jay blushed, "I mean, according to Mom and Dad it was love at first sight for them." He grinned, "Although, I get the feeling there's a lot more to THEIR first meeting that anybody will tell me."  
  
Jason smiled, "You do, do you?" Jay nodded with the solemnity only a thirteen year old boy can muster. Jason smiled back at his nephew, "Well, you're right, but that's a story I don't think you're ready to hear just yet. Or, that any of us are willing to tell." Jason leaned forward and looked at Jay, "Does your Dad know you're asking these questions?"  
  
Jay swallowed, "No sir."  
  
Jason considered what the boy had told him. He wasn't sure how much Tommy would want his son to know about Jase's and Billy's relationship. Tommy had never seemed comfortable with the idea of Jason and Billy being lovers. He suspected that the only reason the situation had not become an issue over the last thirteen years, was that Jason had not dated anyone. He had his hands full with an extremely active daughter who'd inherited her father's intelligence. "You just know. It doesn't necessarily hit you all at once, just one day you know." Jase told the boy. "I'll tell you what, I'll tell you more, when you're a little older."  
  
Jay looked at him, "You just don't want to make Dad mad by talking to me about things he might not be comfortable with my knowing."  
  
"Okay, you nailed me there. Your Dad and I fought over Billy once, and I don't want to fight with him again. I love him too much for that," Jason told him.  
  
"Okay," Jay said. "But would you do me a favor, Uncle Jason?"  
  
Jason smiled at the boy and nodded, "What is it, Saaba?"  
  
"Will you tell me more about him later?" He looked down at his watch. "I think I'd better get home soon. I just wanted tell you not be sad about Uncle Billy on my birthday. If he was as special as you and Mom say, I don't think he'd want that." Jason could see the boy's eyes glisten with unshed tears, reflecting his own. An old expression came to his mind; _Out of the mouths of babes._  
  
"I'll try to remember that, Jay." Jason told him standing up. "C'mon, I'll walk you home."  


* * *

  
  
  
  
Across town, the man known as Dr. Kevin Carstonn finished putting the last of his dinner away. "You would think that after almost twenty years, I'd have learned to cook by now," he said to himself smiling. "I can build a nuclear reactor, but I can't boil water."  
  
Entering the Spartan living room he sat down and looked at all the boxed still left to be unpacked. He briefly wondered how he'd managed to collect so much _stuff_ while living in the field for almost twenty years. Berating himself for being grouchy- must have been the visit the cemetery, he unfolded the paper and smiled at the headlines: **NEW CELTIC EXHIBITION AT ANGEL GROVE MUSEUM A CRITICAL SUCCESS.**  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Fathers and Daughters

The sun was just peeking up over the eastern horizon as Jason walked along the paths of Angel Grove Cemetery with his daughter. He'd thought about what Jay had asked him about, what he'd said to him last night. It was time to move on, time to let go, and live his life again.   
  
"Daddy," Trini Anne squeezed his hand, "Are you all right?" Her midnight eyes spoke volumes to him.   
  
He smiled at her and gently returned the squeeze, "I'm fine, sweetie." Sighing deeply, he looked around, "I was just thinking about your dad."  
  
"Daddy?" she asked, "Why did you bring me along today?" She swallowed, "I mean it's always been a tradition that you come here by yourself today. You know, to visit Dad's grave alone."  
  
He hadn't realized that she'd started to see their yearly ritual as any kind of tradition. Then again, he guessed that was as good a definition of tradition as he'd ever heard. As they rounded the small grove a trees casting long shadows in the morning light, he replied, "Because I think it's time we made a few new traditions for today. One of them is not to be quite so sad today."   
  
"I think maybe Jay would appreciate that," she smiled at him.  
  
Patting her hand, he told her, "I do too." Sighing he eyed his daughter critically. She was blossoming into a very beautiful young woman. She had Billy's honey-blonde hair, hanging long and straight to the small of her back, and his own black eyes. Her complexion was creamy smooth with just a hint of freckling across the bridge of her nose- something else she'd inherited from Billy- that was just starting to turn a few shades darker as the summer wore on. She was tall like him, but had more of a swimmer's build, lacking his own burly girth. All in all, he was very pleased with the results of the procedure he and Billy had traveled to Europe to have done those long years ago. It did after all give him a little piece of Billy left in the world.  
  
"What?" she must have noticed him staring at her smiling.  
  
"I was just thinking about what a beautiful daughter I have, and how lucky I am to have you in my life," he told her. Suddenly feeling tears welling up in his eyes, he pulled her into a tight hug. "You are a very special young lady. You know that, don't you?"  
  
She hugged him back, "I know, I've got a very special dad. That makes it easy."  
  
Pulling out of the hug, he draped an arm around her shoulders as the two headed on toward the headstone at the end of the walkway. He realized that the coming years were going to be the hardest of his life. _What the hell do I know about raising a daughter- especially a daughter who was as beautiful as Kat, smart as Billy, talented as Zack, and athletic as me?_ Then of course, he was her father, so he had to admit his opinion was prejudiced. Still, he was grateful for Kim and Trini's help when it came time to have "the" talk with her. If it weren't for the former yellow and pink rangers, he was sure he would have made a complete mess of things. Like the song says, "there are some things a man just doesn't know."  
  
"Can I ask you a question, Daddy?" Trini asked, her voice suddenly serious as they arrived at the grave.  
  
Looking down, he nodded, "Of course honey."  
  
"Why haven't you gone out with anybody?" She shrugged, "I mean, it's been thirteen years. I don't think Dad would mind." She shook her head, "It's not good for you to be so lonely."  
  
"I'm not lonely, Trini." He smiled, "I've got my friends, and my daughter to keep me from ever being lonely."  
  
She smiled up at him, but he could tell she was unconvinced. As for himself, he wasn't sure. He didn't feel lonely. It was just that after what he and Billy had shared, anything else would seem a pale comparison. Moreover, to be honest with himself, he had to admit that what he'd seen of the gay dating community just wasn't attractive to him. He wanted more out of life than a mindless club scene, shallow psuedo-politics, and superficial relationships. "Well, at least think about it. Okay?"  
  
"Hey what is this? First Jay comes and tells me that Billy wouldn't want me to be sad today, and now you're trying to get me to find some guy to date?" Next thing you know, you two will be setting me up on blind da…," the look of surprise on his daughter's face stopped him dead cold. Something he'd said had surprise her. Reaching out he touched her shoulder and asked quietly, "What honey?"  
  
Seeming to regain her composure, she smiled at him weakly and shook her head. "Nothing."   
  
Knowing his daughter better than to push her, he let it slide for now. She'd eventually bring up what ever it was that had startled her. He smiled and said, "Okay."  
  
For long moments the two of them stood there simply looking at the grave. Jason smiled at the small row of flowers lying at the base of the stone. He could identify which ones were left by which Rangers; roses from Kat and Adam, orchids from the Kim- he smiled to himself thinking of Billy's and Kim's conversations about the fragile flowers- daisies from the Taylors, buttercups from Rocky and Aisha, and a single yellow rose from Tommy- after all these years he was still trying to say, "I'm sorry." Putting down the two red roses, he and Trini had brought, a new flower caught his eye. A single blue rose lay among the others. Jason picked it up and smiled wondering which Ranger had found such a rare flower.   
  
Standing again, he put an arm around his daughter, and hugged her gently. She broke their silence, "I hadn't really thought about who you might go out with, Daddy."  
  
Jason smiled to himself. So that was what had startled her. "Tell you what? What say we go and have breakfast at the IHOP, and we'll talk about it?"  
  
She blushed up at him, "Okay."  
  
Nodding to the blonde girl he said, "Why don't you meet me at the car? I'll be there in a minute."  
  
She smiled at him and turned to leave, "Sure dad."  
  
"Trini," he called to her.  
  
She stopped without turning, "Yeah dad?"  
  
"I know that he's very proud of you," Jason said.  
  
"Thank you dad," she said before heading off.  
  
Waiting for her to get out of earshot, he turned back to the stone, "I don't know if I can do this by myself, Billy. She's growing so fast. I'm just a man, what do I know about prom dresses, gymnastic practice, and particle physics?" He shook his head, "She's really a piece of work, that one. I think you two would have loved each other's company more than you could ever imagine. Kim, Kat and Trini help out a lot, but it's not the same for her. I know she feel's different, and not just because she's the only one of her friends that doesn't have a mom. Sometimes I wonder if that was how you felt growing up. I hope it's not as painful for her as it was for you."  
  
Only the morning wind answered him, not that he expected anything else. Finally, he knelt at the stone, putting his hand out to touch the name on it, and said softly, "I love you." Then without another word, he got up and returned to his car.  
  
Half an hour later, Jason and Trini Anne were sitting down to two plates piled high with Belgium Waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon and a large carafe of orange juice. After a quick grace, the two dug into their breakfast with a gusto that surprised Trini. Looking up between bites, she saw her father staring at her. She knew the look. She knew that he was wanting her tell him whatever it was that was bothering her.   
  
She smiled thinking about her Aunt Kimberly accusing her of keeping her feelings to herself. She called it the "Cranston Way" but Trini knew that she was saying it affectionately. Of course, Trini wouldn't have any idea what the Cranston Way was anyway. It wasn't as if she had any contact with her grandfather from Billy's side of the family. But, she also knew her father, and knew that he wouldn't let the gaff at the cemetery pass. Sighing she said, "I guess when I suggested that you start dating again, I really hadn't thought it through."  
  
Her dad simply smiled at her, "What you mean, is that you thought I might date women."  
  
Blushing, she nodded, "I guess so."  
  
"Not that I'm likely to go out and look for a date any time soon, but I married a man once. If I were to start going out again," he smiled at her, "which to be honest is not very likely, it wouldn't be with a woman."  
  
She looked down, "I guess I know that dad. I guess what I mean is that you don't act like most of the gay men I've known or see on television."  
  
"What should I act like, honey?" he asked her.  
  
She chuckled, "You shouldn't act like anything you're not dad. You just don't fit the stereotype."  
  
"Would it make you feel better if I did?" he smiled at her.  
  
Shaking her head she said, "No! I'm just saying that I guess I hadn't thought this out very far."  
  
"Okay," he smiled. "On to safer subjects; what did you get Jay for his birthday?"  
  
She grinned at him, "The Blue Ranger Action Figure, circa 1993, still in its original box."  
  
Her father whistled, "Where did you ever find that?"  
  
"A yard sale on Spruce Drive," she told him. "There was this older man who was selling his house and was getting rid of a lot of this stuff." She shook her head remembering all the boxes for sale. "He had a whole collection of all the original Power Rangers, complete with 'Zords. I got them all."  
  
She watched a flicker of surprise shoot across her father's face and then disappear behind a glass of orange juice. "1420 Spruce?"  
  
"How'd you know?" she asked suddenly feeling strange.  
  
"Because that was your dad's father's house," he told her. "There's a very good chance that you just bought your dad's old collection," he smiled putting down the glass.  
  
Smiling she said, "Then I'll be sure to hang on to the rest of them. But, you know how Jay always loved the Blue Ranger in the old newscasts. I thought it would be the perfect gift for him."  
  
Her father smiled at her again, there was a look of mischief and genuine amusement in his eyes. "I know. I think I agree with you about it being the perfect gift."  
  
"You mean that my grandfather?" she asked realizing what her dad was telling her.  
  
He nodded at her and smiled, "Most likely."  
  
She put her glass down, "I'm not going ask anything else, Daddy. This is NOT a day for us to be sad about things we can't control." She smiled, "Besides, it's his loss, he has to deal with it."  
  
Her father chuckled, "When did you get so wise?"  
  
She laughed, "I was born this way." Shrugging she said, "Besides, I hang around with Jay and his great-grandfather a lot."  
  
Jason laughed, "That'd do it."  
  
  



	4. Jay's Birthday Party

Kim wasn't sure what to make of Jay's mood. After returning from Trini's last night he'd gone straight to bed without any of his usual arguments, about the unfairness of bedtimes in the summer. When he awoke this morning, he was cheerful and happy as any boy should be on his thirteenth birthday. Kim wasn't sure, but she got the feeling that something profound had happened last evening. She wasn't sure what it was, but something inside her said that it was important.  
  
Leaning against the doorframe, she watched as Zack, Adam, and Tommy tried in vain to put up a tent pavilion in their spacious back yard. Kim took a moment to look around the house where she lived now. It was much larger than the one where Jay had been born, with a bigger back yard and an Olympic sized swimming pool- Tommy's idea. They'd moved several years after Jay had been born, when it became clear that Red Dragon Dojo was going to be successful.   
  
Kim smiled at that idea. In some strange way, Billy had gotten his wish; Jason and Tommy had finally put their differences aside, and had finally gone into business together- re-establishing a close friendship that had been strained to the breaking point. Tommy hung up his racing helmet and Jason closed an extremely successful architecture firm so the two men could open one of the most successful martial arts schools since Chuck Norris. Now they trained everyone from junior high school kids, to military personnel, to Hollywood actors preparing for a role. Of course, the extra money had meant that the Oliver's could move to a bigger house- one with a pool- a lifelong dream of Tommy's.  
  
"What's got you in such a reflective mood?" Trini asked from beside her.  
  
Turning to the beautiful Asian woman, she smiled and said, "I was just thinking about how lucky we all are." She couldn't help but chuckle, "I mean Tommy and Jason's business is very successful, we're not rich, but we're not hurting for material things, we've all our friends around us, and we have five healthy kids who seem as close as we were."  
  
Trini smiled at her and laughed, "We are lucky, aren't we. Let's just hope that things stay a lot quieter for them than us. I don't know how I could handle it if _they_ suddenly got teleported away by a disembodied head trapped in tube."  
  
Kim smiled, "Well, we'll just have to keep an eye on them and start asking questions if they all of a sudden start wearing a single color most of the time, and come home with funny looking watches."  
  
Any reply Trini might have had was lost in the sound of the doorbell. Kim smiled at her, "That must Linda and Trini Anne," she said as she headed to the front foyer. Kim opened the door to find Jason and his daughter standing there waiting for her. "Jase!" she smiled fighting back the tears in her eyes. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Jason smiled at her, turned and pointed to his car with his thumb, "I can always leave," he said with a smile.  
  
"You do and I'll kick your butt," Kim replied pulling both her Jason and Trini Anne into the foyer. "You have no idea how much this means to Jay."  
  
Jason smiled at her, "He explained it to me last night, Kim." Then pulling the smaller woman into a hug, "You've got a pretty perceptive boy there. I think he takes after his mother."  
  
Kim smiled up at him, "Don't tell Tommy that. He wants him to take after him."  
  
Jason smiled at her, "He does, but taking after his mom isn't necessarily a bad thing."  
  
Kim winced, realizing that Jason may have taken that comment wrong. Some scars were still painful. Kim wasn't sure that Jason and Tommy had ever really dealt with Jason's being gay. Since Jase hadn't dated since Billy's death, the issue was just ignored- especially since Jason didn't ACT gay. "I know," she smiled up at him, "I just think that Tommy likes to think of Jay as wearing red one day."  
  
Jason laughed, "Nah, that's going to be Trini Anne's color."  
  
Kim smiled up at him, "Now wouldn't that be a kick in the pants."  
  
"Uh excuse me, Aunt Kim, but where's Jay?" Trini Anne asked.  
  
"Boring you already, huh?" Kim smiled at the girl. "He's out back watching his father try to put up the pavilion."  
  
Trini Anne simply smiled back, scooted around the two adults and said, "No ma'am, but I've noticed that when our parents start talking about certain colors, the only thing that starts to make sense scares the bejeebers out of me."  
  
Kim and Jase both followed her with their eyes, hoping the shocked look on their faces wasn't apparent. Finally, Kim shook her head, "Well, she is her father's daughter."  
  
Jase beamed with fatherly pride, "You bet she is."  
  
Kim punched him in the arm, and then slipped hers through it as she guided Jase toward the back yard, "I was talking about her OTHER father."  
  
Jason just smiled down at her, "So was I."  
  
  
~*~  
  
Tommy looked up to see his wife come walking through the back door arm in arm with Jason. He tapped Adam and Zack on the shoulder and nodded toward the door with a smile. Both of the former Black Rangers looked up, saw Jason and then grinned back at him. "Now, that's a sight I thought I'd never see on this day," Adam said.  
  
"Me too," Zack replied.  
  
Tommy just smiled; glad to see his Bro, finally coming out of his self-imposed exile. Deciding not to make a big deal of the situation, hoping that it meant Jason finally put the tragedy of their past behind them, Tommy yelled over to his Bro, "Hey man, you have any idea how to put this thing together?"  
  
Jason grinned at him, disentangled himself from Kim and came over and looked at what was happening. Taking a long look at the instructions and then what the other three were doing he finally said, "I think I see the problem."  
  
"What Zack asked."  
  
Jason grinned big, "You've got Tommy in charge." Shaking his head, and dodging the mock punch Tommy threw, Jason said, "Here, let me see if I can help." Looking at the directions for a few moments, he too lay them down in frustration and went to look at the actual pavilion.  
  
Before long, all four men fell to an easy silence between them as they wrestled with the pavilion, to no more success than before. Tommy looked up to see Jay and Trini giggling over the directions, "What?" Tommy asked.  
  
Jay looked at his best friend, "Should we tell them?"  
  
The girl looked back and smiled, "I'm not sure. Do you think they'd listen?"  
  
"Uncle Adam and Uncle Zack might, but somehow I don't think Uncle Jase or Dad will though," Jay replied.  
  
Then as if on cue the two turned to face Tommy shrugged simultaneously and said in unison, "Oh nothing." Then they turned and walked off.  
  
"You two come back here!" Tommy demanded, half joking and half serious.  
  
"Yes Dad?" Jay said.  
  
"Yes Mr. Oliver," Trini Anne replied.  
  
"Do you two know something we don't?" Tommy asked.  
  
Again the two teenagers looked at each other. Jay said, "I don't know how to answer that. After all, we don't know EVERYTHING they know."  
  
Trini Anne smiled, "I know. They could be doing it this way just to give themselves a challenge."  
  
Jay said, "Maybe you're right. After all, Uncle Adam is a surgeon, and Uncle Zack at least plays a genius on television. They could be doing it for the practice."  
  
"Maybe you're right," Trini Anne said. Then turning back to Tommy she smiled, and for just a moment, Tommy saw something in her face that brought to the forefront of his memory another blond, "Are you sure you want to know, Mr. Oliver. After all it might upset Uncle Adam and Uncle Zack?"  
  
Tommy grinned at the girl said, "Spill it girl."  
  
Trini shrugged and handed him a slip of paper saying, "Here's the addendum to the instructions, telling you what you're doing wrong."  
  
"It was folded up in the packet with the screws," Jay said giggling.  
  
Tommy looked at the addendum and sighed. This little piece of paper suddenly made the whole thing clear, "They were right. It does clear everything up." He handed the paper to Zack and shook his head. "Those two are thick as thieves sometimes."  
  
"What are you worried about?" Zack said.   
  
"I'm just worried that pretty soon one or the other will start to notice that there IS a difference between boys and girls."  
  
Jason nodded his head, "I think they know that, Tommy."  
  
"Yeah, but what happens when they decide to find out just HOW different?" Adam asked grinning.  
  
Jason shrugged, "I trust Trini Anne," he looked over at Tommy and added, "and I trust Jay."  
  
Zack put a hand on Tommy's shoulder and said, "You have to understand something, Tom. These guys are like Jase, Trini, Kim, and Billy and I were when we were kids. They've grown up together, they're friends first. I KNOW I've taught 'Mina what's right, and I trust that the rest of you guys have taught yours."  
  
The conversation was starting to stray into areas that made Tommy uncomfortable. The first five Ranger's relationship had always been something of a sore spot with him. It had been part of his problems with Billy. Tommy was a loner by nature, and sometimes he had felt like an outsider. It took a long time for him to finally accept that he'd been on the inside all along, and by then it was too late to make amends. "I know but I'm a father, so I worry."  
  
Tommy watched as Zack and Jase exchanged grins. Zack said, "He's worried. He has a boy, not girls."  
  
Both men grinned and Tommy recognized their concern. He understood that it wasn't right, but it was a fact of parenting that most fathers worried more about their daughter's virtues than their son's. Tommy figured it had something to do with fathers remembering their own youths. "Well, hopefully we won't have to worry about that for a while."  
  
"Trust me, Tommy," Jase said, "we already worry." Then smiling, "But like Zack said; we trust the kids to do what's right."  
  
All four men laughed nervously and went on with their work. The recovered addendum made a huge difference in getting the pavilion raised, and they were soon finished. Tommy found himself retreating to a small corner of the yard to observe the kids' interaction.   
  
Zack was right. All five of them reminded him of what he'd seen those long years ago when he'd first laid eyes on the original Rangers. Each of the children were moving in and out of conversations and horseplay with the ease that came from a long familiarity. They really were as a tight knit group as the others said. Something about the interaction bothered Tommy and he wasn't sure what it was.  
  
"Wanna' tell me why you're brooding on Jay's birthday?" Jason had approached him unseen, in mute testimony to the depth of Tommy's thoughts. "That's supposed to be my job."  
  
Tommy smiled at his old friend, "I figured that since you were taking the day off, one of us had to take up the slack, Bro."  
  
Jase shook his head, "Nah, I think this day's had enough brooding."  
  
Tommy gave Jason a surprised look. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
Jason smiled and looked over at the pool where Trini and Jay were defending themselves from the other three in a rather cutthroat game of water polo. "It means that it's time for me to let go." He sighed, "I still love Billy. I always will, but it's not good for Trini Anne for me to continue to hold onto the past like this." He shrugged and blushed before adding, "or good for me for that matter."  
  
Now Tommy really was surprised. "I'm not sure what to say, Bro."  
  
Jason turned to him and said, "Then don't say anything."  
  
"Okay," Tommy said confused. After a long moment, he added, "You know, I miss him too. Kim and I were talking last night. I think maybe we haven't been very fair to you and Billy…"  
  
Jason turned to face Tommy and said quietly, "You don't have to say anything Tommy." He sighed, "I'd really rather you didn't today." He put a hand out to Tommy's shoulder, "Talk to me about it tomorrow, or Monday, but not today."  
  
Tommy just nodded, and turned back to watch the children play.  
  
  
  
~*~  
"Can I ask you something?" Adam asked Kim from behind.  
  
"Sure Froggy," Kim replied.  
  
Adam smiled back. He'd been watching the interplay between the kids earlier and their interaction with the adults. Something Trini Anne said had disturbed him greatly, but he was unsure of how to approach it. Finally, he decided to take it to the one person who could get to the bottom of his question. "What does Trini Anne call you most of the time?"  
  
Kim shrugged, "Same thing as the other kids: Aunt Kim, or Aunt Kimberly."  
  
Adam nodded and continued, "What about Kat, Zack and Trini?"  
  
Kimberly looked at him, and thought a minute, "Pretty much the same thing, I guess. I mean don't they all pretty much call us by our first names with Aunt or Uncle tagged on?"  
  
Adam just smiled to her, "Are you sure?" He patted her on the arm and turned to head back to his wife. His job here was done. He knew all he had to do was plant the question in her mind, and she would eventually get to the bottom of it. Adam learned a long time ago, that sometimes it was best to turn the first Pink Ranger loose on a problem that was as delicate as he thought this one might be. The part of him that was a physician finally settled down and let him enjoy watching Aiden and Alex play with the others.  
  
"What have you been up to?" Kat asked as he joined her.  
  
"Nothing," he smiled sipping his soda.  
  
"Adam Park, I recognize that look. You've been up to something," Kat accused, her tone taking the sting out of her accusation.  
  
"Just playing psychologist, that's all."  
  
"You be careful Adam. One of these days something is going to blow up in your face."  
  
"Not this time. It's something that needed to be taken care of, so I turned it over to the one person who could fix it."  
  
~*~  
Thirteen candles, a cut cake and scooped ice cream later, Trini sat down to watch her best friend open his gifts. She'd had a funny feeling about things ever since she and Jay had teamed up to tease her dad and Mr. Oliver. She noticed that she'd been distracted in the pool, and had felt like there was a lead weight in the bottom of her stomach. Finally, she'd called time and swam to the edge of the pool and sat the rest of the game out, somewhat nauseously.  
  
Now, she found herself watching her best friend open his presents feeling as if she was sitting two feet to the side of her body. "Everything alright, Trini?" Kim asked sitting down next to her.  
  
She nodded, "I guess so. I just feel kind of blah, and a little sick to my stomach."  
  
She felt as Kim reached out and touched her forehead gently. After a moment of concern, she said quietly, "Why don't you come with me for a minute."  
  
Trini gave her a questioning look but said, "Okay."  
  
Following the closest thing she'd ever known to a mother into the house, she waited in the bathroom while her Aunt took her temperature. Looking up, the small woman asked her, "How long you been feeling this way?"  
  
Trini shrugged, "A couple of days."  
  
"Any cramps, diarrhea?"  
  
Trini blushed and nodded, "Some cramping, but actually the opposite problem."  
  
Kim looked at her critically before saying, "Lift your shirt."  
  
Trini gave her a confused look but complied. "Yes, ma'am."  
  
She felt Kim gently prod her stomach and side, asking whether this area or that was tender. When a sharp pain followed one such probe, and Trini jumped, Kim said quietly. "That area tender?"  
  
Trini just nodded. It wouldn't do any good to argue with her now.  
  
Kim just clucked and said, "Go get your things, and meet your Dad in the foyer."  
  
"Why?" Trini asked suddenly worried.  
  
"This isn't something I want you take a chance with Trini. Just do as I say, and don't argue."  
  
Sufficiently frightened, the young girl did as she was told.  
  
~*~  
  
Kim calmly walked out of the house and found Jase talking to Kat and Adam and pulled him aside. "I don't want to worry you Jase, but I think you need to take Trini to a doctor- Now."  
  
She knew she instantly had the former Red Ranger's attention. "What?"  
  
Kim shrugged, "She's pallid, she's running a temperature of almost a hundred and three, and she's complaining of tenderness in her side- her RIGHT side." Jason just gave her a confused look. Kim could tell that he was confused. "I think she has appendicitis." She smiled, "Go take her to the emergency room. This is something you don't want to take a chance with Jase. She's waiting for you in the foyer"  
  
Understanding dawning on the bigger man, he quickly headed into the house with her. Looking around he saw no sign of his daughter anywhere. Then looking down, he saw her slight form lying on the floor, unconscious.  
  



	5. In the Hospital

Jason was pacing back and forth in the emergency room floor. Tommy could feel his best friend's frustration as an almost palatable force. Tommy had driven Jase over to the hospital- he felt the former Red Ranger was in no temperament to drive- while Adam had ridden with Trini Anne in the ambulance. The former Black Ranger had pretty much confirmed Kim's diagnosis, and was afraid the girl's appendix had already burst.  
  
Trini and Zack agreed to stay with the children while he and Kim brought Jason to the hospital. Now they were waiting, and waiting was one thing Jason had never been good at. Kim came into the waiting area with three cups of coffee, and passed one to Tommy, "How is he?"  
  
Tommy gestured to where Jason was staring out the window at the park beyond, "See for yourself."  
  
Kim smiled at him, walked over to where Jase was, and handed him the last cup. "Here, you need this."  
  
Jase took the cup and sipped it, "Thanks Kim."  
  
"Any word?"  
  
Jason shook his head, "No, she's still in surgery and we're still waiting."  
  
Tommy watched as his petit wife reached out and put an arm around Jason's waist and squeezed gently, "She's going to be all right Jason."  
  
The brief look of despair that flashed across his best friend's face sent a chill through Tommy soul when Jason turned around to acknowledge the words. It was a look of utter despair and hopelessness that was suddenly quashed by the indomitable will of the first Ranger leader. "She just looked so small and helpless lying there," Jason whispered. He sighed and turned back to the window, his eyes filled with something unsaid.  
  
Kim smiled up at him, "I know." Then she gently turned around and faced her old friend, "What is it Jason?"  
  
He shook his head, "It's nothing. Just me being paranoid."  
  
"Jase it's something. Otherwise you wouldn't be trying to shut us out."  
  
"I'm not trying to shut you out, Kim," Jase protested.  
  
"No, you're just trying to handle it all by yourself. Like you've always done." She touched his cheek, "We're here to help you."  
  
Tommy saw his Bro start to say something. Saw a look of pain on his face before he finally walled it off again. Tommy came up and put a hand on Jase's shoulder to offer what support he could. Jase smiled over at him and then turned from him and Kim and looked out across the park again, "I was just thinking that God can't be this cruel."  
  
"Jase, it's appendicitis. Kid's get it all the time. She'll be all right."  
  
Jase turned back to her and said, "You're right." The tone in his voice told Tommy that he didn't believe what he said.  
  
"Jase Bro, she'll be all right. She's a strong kid," Tommy told him. "Like Kim said, kids get appendicitis all the time."  
  
"Not like this they don't. Not this quickly."  
  
Kim told him, "Trini Anne said she'd been feeling bad for a couple of days. It wasn't all of a sudden, she just didn't tell us about it." She reached up and forced the bigger man to face her, "She's good at hiding things from us." Tommy noted that she didn't mention that she was acting a lot like Billy when she did that. Jason didn't need any more reminders of what he'd lost. Tommy quickly squashed the thought that came to mind next as being unworthy of Billy, Jason and most of all- himself. He quietly realized that he'd not exactly come to grips about his own feelings about the former Blue Ranger. Turning, he left Kim to give his best friend the comfort he felt he couldn't.  
  
For long hours he sat alone watching Jase and Kimberly feeling like he not only couldn't help comfort his friend, but also in need of some serious contemplation time himself. What was it about the former Blue Ranger that brought out these powerful negative emotions inside himself- even after all these years? He felt like he was letting Jason down.  
  
After almost ten hours in surgery, Adam came out with another surgeon in tow. Something about the other man was familiar, almost comfortable, but Tommy couldn't place what it was. "This Doctor Carstonn, he was the primary surgeon for Trini Anne." Adam blushed and shrugged, "I'm really not supposed to operate here, I don't have hospital privileges here, but since I was the doctor who treated her on the scene, I was allowed to assist."  
  
"Hello Mr. Scott," the other man said. Tommy took a minute to observe him closely. He was a weathered man, who reminded Tommy of someone who'd spent a great deal of time out doors. His face was just starting to show the lines of age, that was exacerbated by the deep tan he wore. His almost white blond hair had receded to leave a deep widow's peak on either side of his temples and a spot at the back of his head. His eyes were a familiar deep blue green that seemed to haunt Tommy for their familiarity. "Your daughter is going to be okay."   
  
Tommy saw the others relax beside him, and for some reason, he found himself surprised at the realization, and for some reason that surprise shamed him. "When can I see her?" Jase asked anxiously.  
  
"In a little while. As soon as she's out of post-op we'll move her to a room, and you can see her then." He sighed. "It's a good thing you got her here when you did. Evidently she'd been in pain for a while. Dr. Park tells me that she was swimming today. The exertion must have been too much for her." He sighed, and Tommy could see a weariness in his eyes, a weariness and something else, something that worried Tommy a great deal. "Her appendix burst. It ruptured her bowel and lower intestine."  
  
Tommy watched his best friend pale at the news, and his confusion over Jase's worry hit Tommy like a physical blow. Why should he be surprised at Jase's worry over his daughter? "What does that mean?" Jase asked the man.  
  
The doctor smiled and leaned back, "It means that she's in for a rough few months, but if she follows her doctor's orders, and does what she's supposed to by Christmas she should be fine."  
  
"Thank you doctor," Jase said.   
  
"You're welcome Mr. Scott."  
  
"That's Scott-Cranston," Jason said. It wasn't like him to correct people about his name like that. Tommy guessed he was just tired.  
  
  
~*~  
  
Jason sat quietly in the chair beside his daughter's bed, holding her smaller hand. So caught up in his own thoughts was he that he failed to notice when her eyes opened. Looking down he was surprised to see her face smiling up at him. "Hey, Princess," he said. "You finally decided to wake up?"  
  
"Guess you forgot to put the pea under the mattress."  
  
"I'll try to remember next time," he told her with a smile.  
  
"Jay?" she asked.  
  
"Jay's at his house," Jason told her. "He wanted to come, but we thought it best that he stay home until you're better."  
  
"I see," her eyes twinkled, "You know of course, seeing Jay and the guys would make me get better faster." She looked at her father and smiled, changing the subject, she asked, "What happened?"  
  
"I'll see what I can do," he smiled and told her. Then to answer her question, he said, "Your appendix burst."   
  
"That would explain the dull pain in my stomach."  
  
Jason couldn't help but laugh, and found it bordering on tears. She sounded so much like Billy then it was almost frightening. Before he could reply, there was a knock at the door. Looking up, he saw Dr. Carstonn and a nurse coming through door with a clipboard. "Hello." He smiled over at his patient and Jason saw a surprisingly tender look come over the man's face. "We're glad to see you finally awake."  
  
Trini nodded, "When can I go home?"  
  
"Not right away," Jason interjected. "Not until we're sure you're going to be okay."  
  
The doctor smiled over at him, "Actually, it will be just a day or so. We want to make sure you don't pull any of your stitches out." He looked over at Jason, "Would you mind excusing us for a moment?" Looking back at the girl in the bed, "We need to check her stitches, and…"  
  
Jason smiled, realizing that is daughter wasn't a little girl anymore and would probably appreciate the privacy. He got up and left the doctor and nurse to carry out their duties, only to find Kat waiting outside. "How is she?" Kat asked.  
  
"She's awake," Jason looked back over his shoulder, "The doctor is in with her now."   
  
"Jason?" Kat asked. "When was the last time you slept?"  
  
Jason smiled weakly, "Friday night," he told her.  
  
"Jase, that was thirty-six hours ago," she smiled at him, "You're not fifteen anymore. You can't go that long without sleep."  
  
Jason laughed and leaned back against the wall, "I do what I have to, Kat." He shook his head, "There's nobody else."  
  
"Like hell, there's not!" Kat said vehemently, the normally prim Pink Ranger's use of profanity cutting through the fog of haze in Jason's mind. "You've got friends out here. We'd be glad to sit with her." She shook her head, "And I know for certain that Linda wouldn't mind. For God's sake Jase, you don't have to do this by yourself."  
  
Looking back on what he said, Jase wasn't sure why he said what he did. Granted he was physically tired, but he suspected that he was just tired of a lot of things. He took a deep breath, "As a matter of the fact I DO have to do it by myself, Kat. I have to be father, mother, and grandfather all in one. You, Kim, and Trini help out a lot, but it's not the same. You have your own lives, and your own children to care for. Trini Anne's MY responsibility, and I love her too much to shirk it." He looked down realizing he was close to tears, but unable to keep them from coming. He said quietly, "I loved Billy too much to fail her now." Turning his head, he told his friend, "Excuse me. I need to go to the bathroom."  
  
Heading back into the room, he entered the small bathroom supplied for patient use and leaned heavily against the wall. _Don't cry! The Red Ranger doesn't cry!_, he told himself viciously. As hard as he fought it, he couldn't stop the tears. Finally, he sank to the floor, his back to cold tile behind him, and let the tears flow, his big shoulders shuddering with the weight of what he was carrying.  
  
A soft knock came to the door, "Ja… uh… Mr. Scott-Cranston," Dr. Carstonn's voice came through the door. "We're finished now."  
  
Jason stood, "I'll be right there, Doc," he said through the door. Washing his face in the sink, he toweled off and went out to meet his daughter's doctor.   
  
The other man smiled as Jase came out of the small bathroom. He gestured toward a chair next to the bed, "Trini's doing fine. Like I said, we had to repair some internal damage her appendix's bursting did to some of her internal organs. She's going to be fine, but it's going to be a hard couple of months for her and for the next few years, she's going to have to watch what she eats so as not to create ulcerated tissue around the wound."  
  
"What can I do for her Doc?" Jase asked.  
  
The smaller man reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, "For now, get some rest. She asked me if you'd been sleeping." He smiled, "Later, keep an eye on her. She seems to be a very active young lady- a really rare thing these days- so don't let her pull any stitches loose. Then, when she gets stronger, help her ease into resuming her activities. There's going to be a lot of pain, and you're going to have to keep an eye on her pain medication. Make sure that she takes it when she needs it, but only then."  
  
"Thanks Doc," Jason told the man.  
  
"That's my job," he turned to leave but stopped at the door. "J- Mr. Scott?"  
  
"Yeah Doc?"  
  
The doctor smiled at him, "She's a really special kid. Take care of yourself, so you can take care of her."  
  
For some reason, the tone of this man's voice reached to Jason's soul. There was a gentle touch there that seemed to break up the despair he was fighting to keep at bay. He said, "I will."   
  
"Good," the doctor said as he left.  
  
Jason turned to his daughter, "Hey girl, you holding together?"  
  
She smiled at him, "Evidently better'n you are. When was the last time you had some rest, Daddy?"  
  
He smiled at her, "I'll get some rest just as soon as I'm sure you're all right."  
  
"You'd better," she smiled over at him. "Dr. Carstonn said I'll be okay, and I believe him." Another knock came from the door, and Kat walked in. "Aunt Kat!"  
  
"Hey pumpkin," Kat told her. "I've got a message from Jay, Mina, and the twins for you."  
  
"Oh?" Trini Anne asked.  
  
"Yeah," she gave the girl a conspiratorial look, "they want to know when you want them to break you out of here." She turned and winked at Jason.  
  
She smiled back, "How about now?"  
  
"Sorry, but there's this big burly guy who loves you so much that he's not going to let you out of here until he's sure you're okay." She smiled again and patted the girl's hand, "So you're just going to have to do what the doctor says so you can get out of here soon. They've decided that they're postponing their trip to the museum until you get better."  
  
"They shouldn't do that. Adien and Alexander were really looking forward to picking Daddy's brain about some of that stuff," Trini protested.  
  
"They said they can wait." She smiled over at Jason, "Besides, if you're not feeling well, then your dad's not going to feel very much like answering their questions."  
  
She raised an eyebrow, and gave Jason a long hard look before saying, "I think they may have a point." All three laughed.  
  
  
~*~  
  
Several hours later, Trini managed to convince her father to go home, get some rest, and take a shower. Jay on the other hand had managed to make his way over to the hospital and was now sitting in a chair next to her. There was a comfortable silence between them. In a burst of insight rare for somebody her age, she realized that Jay just needed to assure himself that she was okay- that she wasn't going anywhere. Finally, she looked over at him and said, "I'm sorry for ruining your birthday, Jay."  
  
"S'kay," he shrugged. "You didn't mean to." Then smiling to lighten the mood, he said, "Besides, it could have been worse."  
  
"How?" she asked.  
  
"You could have made the cake."  
  
Both children laughed. Trini's skill- or more accurately lack thereof- in the kitchen was legendary, among their circle of friends. Not even their Uncle Rocky's tutelage could help her get the hang of how to cook. "You've got a point there. All of us would be in here with botulism," she said.  
  
Again silence fell between the two of them. "Jay?" she finally asked carefully.  
  
"Yeah?" he asked.  
  
"Have you seen my doctor?" she asked.  
  
"No," he asked, suddenly alert. "Are you all right? Do you hurt? Do I need to get a nurse?" he asked halfway out of his chair.  
  
She laughed, and then because it hurt, she regretted it, "I'm okay. I was just wondering if you've met him."  
  
Jay shook his head, "No can't say that I have."  
  
"Do me a favor would you?" she asked.  
  
"Anything Trini?"  
  
"Stick around, so you can meet him when Dad's here." She smiled, "I want to ask you something later."  
  
"Trini?" Jay warned. "What are you up to?"  
  
She smiled at him, "Me?" She leaned back against her pillow. "What makes you think I would be up to something?"  
  
"I don't know? Maybe that look on your face," he told her. "The same one you got when you found out that Uncle Zack was afraid of spiders. You know, just before you reprogrammed his laptop with that arachnid desktop theme."  
  
  
  
  



	6. A Little Good News Today

"You're playing a dangerous game, Kev." Thea told him. It was their weekly Sunday morning ritual, ever since Kevin had returned from Romania; breakfast at IHOP. It wasn't extravagant, but it was at least a sense of normalcy for two very abnormal people. "It could backfire and blow up in your face."  
  
"What should I have done, Thea?" He asked, "Let the girl die?" He shook his head. "That would have been a poor way to make amends."  
  
"Kevin, you've spent your life in Rwanda, in Bosnia, in Romania, and in a dozen other hell holes around the globe caring for the sick and poor. You've more than made up for anything you might have done under Zedd's spell," she reminded him of his attempt at self-imposed penance. "And no, you shouldn't have let her die. That's your life that could have been but wasn't. You could no more let her die than you could stop being what you are. But you need to be careful."  
  
He smiled at her and sighed, "You may be right." He shook his head, "I really should turn the case over to Adam. I'm too close to it."  
  
"Kevin, you shouldn't have come back to Angel Grove. If anyone recognized you, there could be hell to pay."   
  
"You're probably right. How was I to know that all the Rangers would still be living here?" he told the Asian woman.  
  
"You of all people should have known that they would be here," Thea told him. She looked over and sighed, "Still, you look a lot different than you did back then. Maybe nobody will notice."  
  
"Tommy suspects something," he told her. "I could see it in his eyes. "Jason is too distraught to look too closely, but Tommy was always the more suspicious one. He suspects something deep down."  
  
"Kevin, you have to be careful. If he finds out who you are, he'll kill you," Thea said.  
  
Kevin just nodded. "I know. He'll say it's to protect his friends, to protect Jason, but he'll do it anyway."  
  
Thea snorted, "Like Jason needs protecting from you. I've seen the way you look at him when you think nobody is looking. You'd no more hurt him than you'd cut off your own arm."  
  
Kevin sighed, "I can't help it. It's who I am. It's WHAT I am. I didn't ask to be this way, hell I didn't ask to come into existence. It would have been best if I hadn't, but I did, and now I have to live with it."  
  
"You could have let them kill you," she said.  
  
"Sorry, I'm not the kind of person who gives up. I'd rather just stick it out and see what comes of it." He sighed, "At least I'm able to defend myself. If Tommy comes after me, I can handle him." He shrugged, "Trust me, I can still run pretty fast."  
  
"Yeah, but Tommy has access to quite a few resources. He could hunt you down. He might even convince Jason to help him," she told. "And if they caught you, it might lead them to me." She shuddered, "I've got a lot to make up for too, and I'm not finished yet."  
  
"I won't lie down and die. Not even for Jason," Kevin told her. "As for leading them to you, trust me. I won't do that."  
  
She stood smiled, "Look, I have to get to church. Are you sure you won't come with me?"  
  
He shook his head, "You kidding? The place would probably fall down if I walked in." He smiled, "Besides, I'm supposed to check in on Trini Anne at one and I don't think I could make it from Stone Canyon to the hospital through all that church traffic in time."  
  
She put a hand on her old friend's shoulder. "Somehow, I don't think God would mind. Maybe it's time you put some of YOUR demons to rest Kevin. You're not the same man you were fifteen years ago. I think you've made up for your past sins."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind," he stood and embraced her. "I may even decide to take that position in Iraq I was offered. The Peace Corps is very happy with my service so far."  
  
"Why don't you go somewhere else?" she told him. "I understand that the Appalachian region is screaming for qualified rural doctors. You could disappear into the hills of West Virginia; build a new life for yourself there while doing some real good. You don't have to keep hiding in the most dangerous parts of the world you can find."  
  
"I'll think about it," he told her.  
  
"You do that Kev."  
  
~*~  
  
Sunday after church found Kim sitting quietly at her kitchen table thinking. Tommy had taken Jay over to the hospital to visit Trini Anne and she had the house all to herself. Adam's question to Kim kept nagging at the back of her mind. The more she thought about it, the more she wasn't sure. Trini Anne was so quiet it was sometimes difficult to figure out what she was feeling and saying. She thought of the times she'd visited Jay and how the girl was always polite, almost painfully so. It reminded her of Billy, and his way of always being respectful to adults when they were kids. Of course with Jason as a father, she'd expect nothing less than courtesy.   
  
Before she could pursue the matter further, there was a knock at the back door, and Trini Taylor stuck her head in. "Hey girl, Are we still going shopping today?"  
  
Kim looked up surprised and said, "I'd totally forgotten! With everything that happened yesterday, it completely slipped my mind." She stood and said, "Let me get my purse."  
  
"Take your time," Trini said as Kim. "The malls are going to be open till eight."  
  
Kim grabbed her purse and a moment later the two women were on their way to Stone Canyon Mall. After church traffic was heavier than usual, and it wasn't long before Kim found herself once again thinking about Adam's question in the quietness of the car. _ Exactly what did he mean by "am I sure"? All the kids pretty much call us all Aunt or Uncle. Don't they?_"  
  
"You seem quiet today, Kim," Trini said. "What's on your mind."  
  
Pulled from her thoughts, she looked over at her best friend, "I was just thinking about something Adam asked me yesterday?"  
  
"Oh and what was that?" Trini asked. It was generally understood that if Adam went out of his way to mention something then it was a good idea to pay pretty close attention to what ever it was.  
  
"He asked me what does Trini Anne call me, you, Kat, and Zack. When I told him that I thought she referred to all of us pretty much like the other kids, you know Aunt or Uncle, he asked me if I was sure. For some reason it seemed important."  
  
"Oh that?" Trini said.  
  
"What?" Kim asked.  
  
"It's nothing really. Just something Zack and I noticed a couple of years ago. We haven't talked to anybody about it, because there's nothing really to say."  
  
"What?" Kim turned to face her best friend and asked.  
  
Pulling into the parking lot, she found the first available spot and parked. It was a running joke between the two of them. They'd rather walk the extra distance of parking away from the entrance than to drive around half an hour looking for a closer spot. It gave them more time for the important stuff- namely shopping. Turning off the ignition, she looked over at Kim and said, "Trini calls all of us Aunt or Uncle, except for Tommy. No matter what, he's always 'Mr. Oliver.' That's all. We noticed it when she was about eight she stopped calling him Uncle Tommy."  
  
Kim thought back to the last few times she'd seen the girl and her husband together. She remembered yesterday's exchange at the pavilion. Trini Anne called Tommy, "Mr. Oliver." Sighing, she got out of Trini's SUV and said, "I wonder why?"  
  
Trini chuckled, but Kim could see the humor didn't quite reach her eyes, "Who knows why kids do things?"  
  
Kim thought about it a minute, and then joined her friend as they headed toward the door. With the same off handed casualness Trini used, she said, "I don't know. I think maybe you do."  
  
Trini stopped and looked at Kim. Her voice suddenly very serious, she said, "You're right. I do." She sighed and looked toward the Mall. "Tell you what, let me buy you a cup of tea and we'll talk about it."  
  
Kim nodded, "Okay."  
  
Ten minutes later the two women were seated in a small booth in the corner of a little café at the edge of the mall sipping tea. Trini leaned forward and said, "First, let me say this much: I first noticed it when Mina mentioned it. She told me that Trini Anne was just a little afraid of Tommy."  
  
"Afraid of Tommy?" Kim asked. "Why?"  
  
Trini looked into her tea before saying anything else, "Have you ever looked at Tommy's eyes when he talks to her?"  
  
Kim shook her head, "No, I can't say that I have. I mean, it's not something I've ever thought about doing."  
  
Trini smiled weakly, "Neither did I until Mina brought it up. For some reason, there's always just a little hardness about them when he talks to her. His voice is just a little sharper. If you look, you can see where it looks like he's trying to be fair about something, but is having to force himself to be."  
  
Kim shook her head, "I think maybe you're reading more into something that's not there." Kim suddenly felt a need to defend her husband.   
  
Trini just smiled and said, "Maybe you're right." Looking up for the waiter she said, "There's a shoe sale at Macy's want to check it out?" Kim knew that the former Yellow Ranger would say no more on the subject if she thought Kimberly wasn't willing to listen.  
  
"Look Trini, I'm not saying you don't see something, I just think your interpretation of what you're seeing isn't correct. Tommy would never hurt Trini Anne…"  
  
"I know that, and you know that, Kim." Trini said, "But Trini Anne is a thirteen year old girl. She may not- especially with all the tragedy in her life. Let's face it, Tommy can be pretty intimidating at times, even without realizing it. I can see how she would interpret his distance as something else."  
  
"He's not distant!" Kim protested.   
  
"He is to Trini Anne," Trini said simply. "Those two have a very formal relationship, not an affectionate one. Not like Tommy has with Mina or Aiden and Alexander."  
  
"Trini Anne's not that affectionate of a person. She's more like Billy in that manner," Kim said, but knew it was a untrue. She and the girl shared a very special relationship and affectionate is definitely a word that applied to it. It was not quite a mother/daughter one, but close. Trini after all, was the daughter of two of her dearest friends, and the best friend of her son.  
  
"I think you know that's not true," Trini said. She sighed, "Look I'm not saying that Tommy treats her poorly, just differently." Leaning back she said, "And there's really no wonder, she's a constant reminder of what happened between him and Jason. He probably doesn't even realize he's doing it himself, and if he did, he'd make it a point not to. It's just something he can't help."  
  
Kim nodded. She would have to think about what Trini said. It made sense in an odd Power Ranger sort of way. Sighing she decided to let best friend off the hook, "About that shoe sale at Macy's"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Think they got anything in pink?" she smiled.  
  
~*~  
  
Jason watched as Jay and Tommy came into the hospital. He smiled at the look of genuine pleasure that spread to his daughter's face at the sight of her best friend, "Jay! You come to break me out of here?" Then she turned to his father, "Hello Mr. Oliver, thank you for bringing him."  
  
"Nah, Dad won't let me mount a rescue just yet," Jay smiled. "He says you're likely to bust a stitch open if we tried."  
  
"No problem Trini Anne, Kim wanted some time to herself I think." He smiled at the girl in the bed and looked over at Jase. "You finally get some sleep Bro?"  
  
Jason smiled at him, "Yeah," he pointed to his daughter, "Princess here made me go home and take a shower. She said I was starting to reek."  
  
"Leave it to a woman to appeal to your vanity."  
  
Both men laughed and watched the two children seemed to share something between them. For some reason they both kept looking over at Jase and then smiling. He leaned in to Tommy and said, "I think they're up to something again."  
  
Tommy smiled back, "Hide your PDA and Laptop then."  
  
At the sound of a knock, all of them looked up at the door as Dr. Carstonn came into the room. He was dressed in khaki slacks and a muddy brown shirt. Jason noted his smile as he looked on at the Trini Anne and Jay. The smile changed slightly as he turned to nod to Jason, now it seemed to be tinged with something else. However it became almost vacant, draining from his eyes as he nodded to Tommy. "Good afternoon all."  
  
"Hello Doctor," Trini Anne smiled at him, "When can I go home?"  
  
The man laughed, "If you continue to follow my directions and get better, probably tomorrow afternoon." He smiled and checked her eyes. After a moment, he looked up and said, "If you gentlemen would excuse us a moment, I would like to check her stitches." He smiled, "It'll just be a minute."  
  
Jason smiled over at the nurse who was coming in and nodded as the others followed him out the door to the hall. Jason couldn't help but notice a strange look on Jay's face.  
  
  
~*~  
  
Trini Anne watched the doctor as he inspected her wound, and then checked her vitals with an ease and efficiency that seemed to come from long years of practice. He probed the area around the scar to check for tenderness and pain, asking occasional questions about how she felt.   
  
"How long have you lived in Angel Grove, Doctor?"  
  
The question seemed to catch him by surprise. He looked over at her, "I just moved here." He sighed and seemed to think for a moment, "I did spend a few days here when I was very young, but I haven't been back since."  
  
"Oh, where were you?" she asked.  
  
"Various places. I spent some time in Africa and Eastern Europe, mainly with the World Health Organization."  
  
"What does your partner do?" she didn't know how, but somehow she knew this man did not have a wife. In a lot of ways, she reminded her of her father. He didn't act gay, but some how she knew that he was.  
  
The man gave her a second look, and asked, "Isn't that a little personal, Miss Cranston-Scott?"  
  
She smiled up at him sheepishly, "You've seen inside my body Doctor, that's about as personal as you can get. Don't you think that makes us at least close enough to ask a few questions?"  
  
He smiled at her, "You sound like your father."  
  
She raised an eyebrow, "How do you know my father?"  
  
The doctor smiled at her and covered up his chagrin as quickly as he could, but Trini Anne knew a lie when she heard it, "I don't really, I just got to talk to him a little while you were in recovery." Then turning to her, "And to ask the question you were hinting at, I don't have a partner."  
  
She smiled at him, and said, "Oh really?" An idea began to form in her head.  
  
The man known as Dr. Kevin Carstonn suddenly felt like he'd been neatly maneuvered into some kind of trap, but wasn't sure what it was.  
  
  
~*~   
Jay watched as the Doctor came out and said, "You can come back in now." He saw how the doctor seemed to address only Uncle Jason, as if nobody else was in the room.  
  
"Thank you Doctor." Uncle Jason said. "How's she doing?"  
  
The doctor nodded and then looked at Jay and then his father, "I usually don't discuss a patient's condition in the presence of non-family, but I get the feeling that this might be a special case."  
  
Uncle Jase just nodded, "Go ahead." Jay realized that if there were anything serious to be discussed, that the man would have excused himself and Uncle Jase to speak with him alone. He also noted that Uncle Jase seemed to concentrate only on the man's presence almost not noticing him or his dad.  
  
"She's going to be all right, Mr. Scott-Cranston," the doctor said.  
  
"Look, Scott-Cranston is getting to be a mouthful. Just call me Jase."  
  
The doctor nodded, "Okay, Jase. She's going to be fine. You're going to have to tie her down for about two weeks to keep her from tearing her stitches loose, but after that she should heal nicely." He looked over at Jay's dad for a moment before turning back to Uncle Jase, "I'll give you more details on what all needs to be done, what she can and can't eat, and that sort of thing tomorrow before you take her home."  
  
Uncle Jase nodded, and Jay could almost see the weight lift from his shoulder. Suddenly the doctor turned on Jay and said, "As for you," he smiled, "I get the feeling that you're probably going to have more pull with her than her father does, so I'm going to put you in charge of making sure she doesn't eat too many spicy foods for the next few months." Jay saw him wink up at Uncle Jase and his dad. "You know, for when you guys are out by yourselves or end up at the Youth Center for smoothies."  
  
Jay swallowed hard at the man's suggestion. He was surprised that the doctor was willing to treat him as responsible enough to keep an eye on his friend. He felt himself straighten up and smile, "Yes sir."  
  
"Good," the doctor smiled, and Jay felt himself warm to the older man. "In that case, I'll see you tomorrow, Jase." He missed the look of surprise on his father's face at the use of the name.  
  
"I'm looking forward to it, Dr. Carstonn," Uncle Jase said.  
  
"Call me Kevin." He checked his watch, a blush slowly rising in his face. "Well I've got other rounds to make so I'd better be going." Looking up he said, "Have a good day all."  
  
Ten minutes later, the parental units finally decided to give him and Trini Anne a minute to themselves. She looked over at him and asked, "So what do you think?"  
  
"I think you're playing with fire girl, and those two may be an accelerant that can get you in trouble if you're not careful," he told her.  
  
All she did was lean back in her bed and smile.  
  
  
  



	7. At the Museum

You sure you feel up to this Trini?" Jay asked Trini Anne as the two young people prepared for their outing. Trini had been home now for two weeks, and had been recovering from her surgery rather well, but Jay still took very seriously the duties Dr. Carstonn had given him. This trip to the museum was to be her first real day trip since she'd come home. Mina, and the twins had agreed with him that they should hold off on going until Trini Anne was feeling better and could go with them.  
  
"I'm okay, Jay," she smiled back at him "Actually, I want to get out of the house for while." She looked around her room and smiled, "If I don't get out of here soon, I'm going to go crazy."  
  
"You have to take it easy, Trini," Jay told her. "You know what the doctor said.  
  
"I know he told me not to overdo it, Jay. He didn't say to stay in bed until I graduated," she joked. She smiled, "I've been slowly building up my strength. Heck, I even started doing kata again."  
  
"Does your dad know?" Jay asked.  
  
She shrugged, "I don't know. I haven't told him, but I haven't kept it from him. Uncle Adam said that I should start exercising lightly and slowly build up my strength." She smiled, "So I started with Hei-on katas and have been working my way up from there."  
  
"Just stay away from the ones that require a lot of kicks," he told her. He knew better than to call them more strenuous. He'd earned his junior black belt last year, and knew that even the basic katas could be strenuous AND dangerous when used properly. Uncle Jase and his dad had taught him that early on. You always come back to First Kata, his Dad had said. He was just now starting to realize that. He was starting to see the simple blocks in the Hei-on katas as something more, how they could become deadly attacks.  
  
Trini smiled at him, and not for the first time Jay wondered how he could get her to do it again. Something about the way she smiled at him made him feel funny inside. It wasn't a bad kind bad feeling just a little scary. "I'll keep that in mind, Jay." Sighing she said, "I'm not fragile. I just have to be careful what I eat for a while, not how I move- not too much, anyway." Then, as if she was noticing something for the first time, she became quiet. For what seemed like an eternity, they stood simply smiling at each other.   
  
"Trini Anne? Jay?," Trini's father's voice came up the stairs and for just a brief moment, Jay felt something less than affection for his namesake. "We're ready to go."  
  
The effect was suddenly broken and Trini looked away, blushing slightly, "We'll be right there, Dad."  
  
~*~  
  
"How's she doing?" Tommy asked Jase as they watched the children explore the museum. Jason had called him last night and asked if he would come along to help with keep track of the five children. Tommy jumped at the chance to spend some time with the kids. He'd never really told anyone, but as he got older, he enjoyed his time with all five of the youngsters more and more- even Trini Anne.  
  
"She's getting restless, I think," Jase told his best friend with a smile.  
  
"Like father, like daughter," Tommy replied. "I remember how you were right after you gave back," he looked around to make sure none of the children could hear him, "the Gold Powers." To say Jason was restless was an understatement. The fact that the normally very active Ranger had been forced to slow down by his body's attempt to adjust to the damage the Gold Powers had done to him, had nearly driven Jason insane.  
  
Jason laughed, "I guess I was pretty bad, wasn't I."  
  
"You were worse than she could ever be," Tommy told him. "If it wasn't for Emily, I don't think you'd have made it."  
  
Jason nodded, "I wouldn't have," he smiled, "but not for the reasons you think."  
  
"I don't understand?" Tommy said neutrally. "I really thought you guys were in love." He remembered how the two had spent so much time together, and how he expected them to marry. Then Jason had moved to LA for a while, and during that time, evidently the two had split up. Tommy hadn't seen Jason again until the fiasco with Billy's accident. That thought of course brought up old memories and a very old sense of guilt. Now that he was much older- and Tommy had to be honest with himself: that Billy had been gone for such a long time- he could admit to himself that he'd treated the former Blue Ranger poorly.  
  
"Tommy, "Jason warned, "You know better than that." Tommy could sense that Jason was really in no mood to get into it with Tommy about who he dated.  
  
"I do now, Bro." He shook his head, "Not then. You didn't act like you'd have been interested in men back then." Then as if he realized that he might have crossed a line he quickly added, "Not that you act any different now." Hell, Jason didn't act like he was interested in anyone anymore, and that thought pained Tommy. For just a brief instant, he found himself once again angry at Billy for leaving Jason behind, unwilling to let go of his memory.  
  
"Yes I do," Jase replied. He smiled over at his friend and said, "Now, I've got a thirteen year old daughter to worry about. Trust me; I act a lot different now."  
  
Tommy sighed toward the children as they studied a mock-up of a pre-Christian Celtic village. His voice became distant, AND thoughtful, "In case I haven't said so, - and I think I haven't: I'm sorry about how I treated you and Billy."  
  
"Tommy that was a long time ago," Jason said.  
  
Tommy had wanted to have this conversation with Jason for a long time. He still felt himself getting angry, and over the last few years, he'd realized that the anger he had directed toward Billy had really been about himself. He felt that he'd failed his 'Bro' in some way, and after Billy died he felt that he'd in someway had pushed his former teammate over the edge. "Still, I was wrong. I was angry at you for being what you are, I was angry at Billy because I thought he'd made you that way, and that was wrong of me." He looked over, "I'm sorry."  
  
"It's water under the bridge Bro. It's over," Jason said wondering what had brought this on. "Besides, it's not like it's going to make much of a difference now."  
  
"But it made a difference then, Bro. I'm sorry for it." Tommy told him.   
  
"Tommy? What brought this on?" Jason asked confused by his friend's choice of conversation.  
  
Tommy shrugged, "I don't know. I've wanted to tell you this for a few years now, and I just hadn't gotten up the nerve. I just worry about you being alone, now."  
  
"I'm not alone, Tommy," Jason told him. "I've got Trini Anne and she's more than enough to keep me busy." Why was everyone suddenly worried about him being alone?   
  
"I'm not trying to mind your business, Jason," Tommy said. "I'd just like to see you a little less sad." He smiled at his Bro. "I think you need to get out more."  
  
"I'm out now." Jason winked at him and put a hand on his shoulder, "Of course if that's what you mean by 'out'. Of course, as far as the other meaning of the word, I haven't been 'in' for a long time."  
  
"Don't go there Bro," Tommy smiled at him. Turning, he looked back at the kids, "So when's Trini Anne coming back to the Dojo?"  
  
Jason turned to follow Tommy's gaze. Tommy couldn't help but notice the unconscious smile tug at Jase's mouth when his eyes fell on his daughter. "As soon as Adam says it's okay for her." Shrugging he continued, "Actually, I suspect that she may be practicing kata already."  
  
Tommy nodded, "Good, she doesn't need to get out of practice." Turning back to Jase he said, "She's really good. You know that don't you? She's probably the best student I've ever had." Tommy and Jase had decided a long time ago that it would be best if they trained each other's children. That way there would be a little less of the father figure involved in the dojo, and less chance of complaints of favoritism. Tommy realized that it also kept him from doing the exact opposite: pushing Jay so hard that he lost his love of the sport.  
  
"I can say the same about Jay." He chuckled as they followed the children into another wing of the museum.   
  
Tommy laughed. Jay was always going on about how much he loved his Uncle Jase's classes, and how he always seemed to learn something new. "He loves your class, Jason. All the kids do." Without looking over to Jason, Tommy asked carefully, "Why isn't she still seeing Doctor Carstonn?"   
  
Jason shrugged, "He said it would serve Trini better if she saw her regular doctor. He claims that he was just her surgeon and that Adam was more than capable of handling Trini's needs from here on out." Tommy sensed a tone of regret in his friend's voice. It was a tone that worried Tommy, "I get the feeling that for some reason I made him nervous." To be honest with himself, Tommy realized that the doctor made HIM nervous.  
  
"Why do I get the feeling that there's something about that that you don't like?" Tommy asked. In a flash of understanding, Tommy realized that maybe Jason starting to miss having an adult in his life. He knew better than to expect Jason to ever try to replace Billy. As much as Tommy may not understand the concept or even approve, he realized that Jase had loved Billy as deeply as he himself loved Kimberly.   
  
Jason shrugged, "I don't know. There was just something about the man that seemed to radiate trust to me." That surprised Tommy. Doctor Carstonn set off bells in his head that screamed something was wrong. HE didn't trust the man, and to hear that Jason seemed so taken with him, worried him. He made a mental note to make some phone calls and see what he could find out about the good doctor.  
  
Looking up Tommy noticed that the children were discussing something they'd discovered on one of the plaques at an artifact display. "Looks like the kids have found something."  
  
Jason smiled at him, and began to walk toward the gathering, "Let's go see what it is."  
  
Tommy followed and looked over his son's shoulder, "See Trini, it IS your doctor," Jay was saying. Tommy looked down at the plaque to read its inscription: **This display was made possible by a donation from Dr. Kevin W. Carstonn in memoriam of his brother William.**  
  
  
  



	8. Reawakenings

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
I'm sorry I've taken so long to post. I've been very busy with the end of school and then with just trying to get enough rest to make up for all those nights of missed sleep. I promise to have a new chapter to Dragonkin up soon as well as the beginning of a sequel to Second Chances Saga soon. Please be patient with me as I DO have my sons visiting for the next two weeks.  
  
Danny  
  
Several weeks had passed since the day at the museum, but Jason found himself thinking about Trini's doctor more and more. In some strange twists of serendipity the man kept popping up in Jason's life in one way or another. Two weeks ago, while reading a piece in National Geographic he found him listed as one of the _Doctors Without Borders_ who had worked in Romania dealing with the AIDS crisis there after the fall of that country's communist regime. Last week he ran into him at of all places the gym, where the doctor was lifting weights.  
  
Now, here he was watching Trini compete in a karate tournament- her first since her surgery- and none other than the very man of his thoughts sat down next to him. "Uh, hello Jason," Dr Carstonn smiled at him. "How're you today?"  
  
Jason found himself smiling at the other man, "Hi Kevin." Looking around confused, "I'm fine. I didn't know you had an interest in martial arts."  
  
The man smiled back at him and chuckled, "Actually I do." For a moment he looked off as if remembering something special and said, "When I was about fifteen, several of my friends went to a great deal of trouble to teach me the basics. Later, I found that it and an interest in gymnastics were useful skills to have." Then looking out to the floor where Trini Anne was quietly working through an advanced kata he said, "But to be honest, Trini Anne called me and invited me to come see her compete." He turned back to Jason and indicated the young girl with a broad grin on his face, "She said I should come see what good work I do."  
  
Jason nodded his head, "I think my daughter may have ulterior motives there, Kevin."  
  
The man surprised Jason when he said, "I think you may be right," and then he blushed deeply.  
  
Leaning back in his seat, he looked out over the dojo and smiled, "I have to admit, that I've been discovering that you and I do share several similar interests."  
  
Kevin gave him a startled look, "Oh? What?"  
  
Jason just smiled, "Well, for one thing an interest in pre-Christian Celtic civilization."  
  
Something about the questioning look he saw in Kevin's blue-green eyes, shook Jason to his core. "How did you find out about that?"  
  
"We were at the museum a few weeks ago and saw the exhibit you donated," Jason said. "I was impressed. It was very good." Leaning forward he said, "My, uh…" after all these years he was still unsure of how to refer to Bill at times like these. Finally he just came out and said, "My deceased partner got me interested in the subject back when we were teenagers, and I've had a passion for it ever since."  
  
Kevin just nodded solemnly, saying nothing for a long minute as the two men watched each other carefully. Jason wondered why all of a sudden his palms were sweating. Finally, noticing the movement on the floor Jason turned back to the Dojo and said, "They're starting." Nodding with a slight smile, Kevin turned back to the floor. Some small part of Jason noted that the tips of the man's ears were flaming red.   
  
The competition was exciting, and Jason noted with no small amount of pride that his daughter seemed to have recovered from her earlier surgery rather well. She managed to place first in both the kata and kumite competitions- no small feat considering how many participants there were. He also noted that Jay took second in both, and with almost as much pride he noted the younger boy showing a great deal of sportsmanship in his enthusiasm for his best friend's win.   
  
Because the other dojo in the area was larger it managed to score more over-all points, even though Jase and Tommy's students took the top two places in these two events. Getting up to go down and congratulate his daughter, he couldn't help but notice Kevin beaming with almost as much joy as he was. He smiled and looked down at the doctor and said, "Look, my parents always taught me that half of getting what you want begins with asking." He took a deep breath and said, "If you're not doing anything Saturday night, would you like to go out to dinner and maybe a movie?"  
  
To his great surprise the man smiled, stood up and asked, "Are you asking me on a date Jason?"  
  
Jason shrugged. "You could call it that. If you wanted that is. Otherwise think of it as two friends getting together for dinner."  
  
Kevin laughed, "Which is it?" He put a hand on the bigger man's shoulder, "I mean if it's a date that's fine. I'd love to. If it's just two friends," he made little quotation marks with his fingers, "getting together for dinner, that's okay too. I just want to know which one." He smiled "It's better not to go into these things with any misconceptions."  
  
Jason couldn't help but smile back. He LIKED this guy. He was honest and took a path straight to the heart of the matter. "Let's just say it's a date to find out if we want to just be friends then."  
  
"That sounds like an equitable solution," the other man told him. "How about I pick you up at eight and we'll go see that new Bond flick. I've been dying to see it."   
  
"Sounds like a plan to me." He laughed and the two men headed down out of the stands to congratulate his daughter.   
  
It was an impressive day for the Scott and Oliver homes as they gathered around the two young people congratulating them. As Jason and Kevin approached the gathering of friends and family, Jason saw something that troubled him deeply. If he hadn't been trying to get Tom's attention, he might not have noticed it in all the commotion around them. But, because he was looking dead at Tom when the other man's eyes glanced past Jason, he saw the normally friendly fire in those light brown eyes fade to a cold cinder. Jase followed Tom's gaze back to see it land on of all people Kevin. Jason wondered what that was all about, but he understood that for some reason, his best friend wasn't entirely comfortable with Trini Anne's doctor.  
  
Kevin seemed to notice it as well. Jase could read his body language suddenly stiffen, and if he didn't know better, he could have sworn that the other man was about to go into fight or flight mode. He tore his gaze away from Tommy and looked back at Jason and smiled. Jase could see the nervousness in his eyes suddenly squashed. Then he turned to Trini and said, "Nice going out there."  
  
Trini looked up to see who was speaking to her and Jason saw her eyes light up with a smile. "Doctor Carstonn!" She squeezed past Jay and Kim with a quick "excuse me" and hugged the other man. "I'm glad you could make it."  
  
Kevin smiled down at her, "Well, you did ask me to come didn't you?"  
  
She nodded her head, and said, "Uh huh, but your nurse said she wasn't sure that you would be able to make it. That you were on call."  
  
He held up his cell phone and said, "Well, that's what cell phones are for." Shrugging he continued, "I learned a long time ago that being on call doesn't mean you can't go on with your life. You just have to be available." Before he could continue the aforementioned device beeped in his hand. Smiling he said, "See what I mean." Opening the phone he told her, "Excuse me," and then moved off out of the noise of the crowded dojo.  
  
Jason watched Tom's eyes follow the doctor and wondered what had gotten into the former White Ranger. He made a mental note to himself to ask Tom what it was about later. But, for now he had more important things to do, "What say we celebrate you guys win?" he asked the two young people next to him.   
  
"What do you have in mind?" Jay asked enthusiastically.  
  
"I don't know. How about we all go out to dinner?" He smiled and added, "My treat."  
  
"Yeah!" Trini and Jay said simultaneously. Then they both turned to Tommy and Kim.   
  
"Can we mom?" Jay asked. "Please."  
  
Jason watched as his two friends exchanged nods and then turned back to the kids. Tom finally said, "I have something I have to do." Turning to Kimberly he said, "Why don't you go with Jase and the kids and I'll try to catch up with you."  
  
Jase saw the confused look in Kim's eyes as she nodded. "Okay, hon." Reaching up she kissed him lightly on the cheek, "but don't be long."  
  
Tommy smiled at her and pulled her close, "I won't." Looking over at Jason he said, "Where you guys going so I can meet you there?"   
  
Jason looked down at Kimberly and then back to Tom, "How about the Youth Center? It's been a while since any of us old enough to pay taxes have been there."  
  
"Sounds good, Bro," Tom said. "Burgers, fries, and smoothies it is then."   
  
"Excuse me," Kevin suddenly said from behind him. "I have to go to the hospital." He looked down at Trini and Jay and said, "I just wanted to say, congratulations to you two before I left."  
  
"Thank you, sir," Jay said.  
  
"Thanks Dr. Carstonn." Trini Anne replied.  
  
"You guys deserve it," Kevin said. Then he turned to Jason and said, "I'll see you later."  
  
"Saturday, then." Jason told him.  
  
"Eight o'clock," Kevin told him as he headed out the door. "I'm looking forward to it."  
  
"Uh guys, I need to cut out too," Tom said. "I'll catch up with you at Ernie's." There was something in Tom's eyes as he watched the doctor leave that worried Jason.  
  
"Okay, Bro," Jason said.  
  
Kim watched her husband leave rather confused, but said nothing. Finally she turned and gave Jason a knowing smile, "Why do I get the feeling that somebody has a date."  
  
Jason just blushed and said, "I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
She gave him her best valley girl "duh," and then hugged him. "It's about time."  
  
Jason noticed the high five that Trini Anne and Jay exchanged behind out of the corner of his eye. It confirmed his suspicions about why she'd asked the doctor to the competition.  
  
*****************************************************************  
  
Tommy made a beeline to his car. Something about Trini Annes' doctor had been bothering him for a couple of weeks now. He'd only seen the man twice before, and both times something kept telling him that he should know him from somewhere. There was something all too familiar about those blue green-eyes, something that almost taunted him. It was time he made a few phone calls and had the good doctor checked out, and he knew just the man to do it for him.  
  
Pushing his cell phone into the dashboard port of his SUV, he activated it and turned on the hand's free device as he circled the parking lot and hid the vehicle in an alleyway that would let him watch the exit to the dojo. Quickly dialing a number he hoped he'd never need for this kind of favor, he waited for a voice to come on the line. "FBI, this agent Kelman speaking."  
  
"Fred," Tommy said. "I need a favor."  
  
"Anything, Tom. Name it," his former pupil said. "I need a background check on somebody. Off the record."  
  
"What do you mean?" Fred asked. Tommy had always been sorry that Fred had never been chosen to become a Ranger. He'd always thought the young man's skill in the martial arts as well as his quick mind would have made him a prime candidate for either the Red or the Black. He smiled remembering that evening of the celebration after they defeated Ivan those long years ago. Jokingly his pupil had declared that he wanted to be the Gold Ranger. Of course, that was before anyone knew that the Gold powers were alien and no human could hold them for very long. "You know that privacy laws are rather strict about this kind of thing."  
  
"I know, Fred. I wouldn't ask if I didn't think a friend might be in danger," Tom told him, wondering if he was justifying this call to Fred or to himself. "I just need to find out if he's who he says he is."  
  
"Okay, give me a name and I'll see what I can do," Fred said. "I can't promise you anything though."  
  
"Anything you can get me would be helpful," Tom told him. Then taking a deep breath he said, "The name is Doctor Kevin W. Carstonn. He's a physician at Angel Grove General."  
  
"Got it," Fred told him. "Anything else?"  
  
"Nothing," Tom told him. "Except thanks, and that we should get together sometime and have lunch."  
  
He heard the other man chuckled, "Sure Tom. We'll do lunch."  
  
"Man, that didn't sound right did it?" Tom said. "I mean it Fred. We need to get together and catch up on old times."  
  
"Tell you what then," Fred said. "I'm coming to Angel Grove for a week next Monday. We can do it then."  
  
"Good, I'm looking forward to it," Tom told him.  
  
"I'll drop this info off at the dojo on Monday then."  
  
"I'd rather you dropped it off at the house if you don't mind," Tom said. "Or I can pick it up."  
  
"I'm not going to ask what this is all about, Tom. Not yet anyway, but I'll confess that you've managed to pique my curiosity." Fred told him.  
  
"I appreciate that, Fred. I don't want to say anything just yet. I may be being paranoid," he chuckled to himself, "or I may just be being a dick, but I'm afraid there's something about this guy that's not quite right."  
  
"Why do I get the feeling that this has something to do with your friends." Fred told him.  
  
"Because you know me," Tom replied.  
  
"That must be it." Fred said.  
  



	9. First Date

"Thanks for watching Trini Anne tonight, Zack," Jase told one of his oldest friends. "I really appreciate it."  
  
"No problem, Bro. We enjoy having her around, and I'm sure she and Mina can find something to keep them busy," Zack said. "Besides, you need some time out." He gave Jase a wink, "What's this, your first date in over a dozen years?"  
  
"Hey, it's not been that long!" Jason protested, but was shocked to realized that it HAD been that long. It'd taken a long time to come to grips with Bill's death, and by the time he was ready to deal with the possibility of dating, he had a daughter to raise. Somehow it just seemed easier to concentrate on that and making the dojo successful, than to try and deal with dating again.  
  
"Yeah, right!" Zack smiled at him. Looking behind him to make sure nobody was listening, he turned back to Jase and smiled. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small packet and handed to Jase. "Here, just in case."  
  
Jase looked down at the foil wrapped package and almost choked at the word "Trojan" written across it. "Zack!" Jason protested. "It's not that kind of date!"  
  
Grinning ear to ear Zack said, "You never know. I hear you Red Rangers work fast."  
  
Jason shook his head, "Zack, I don't think things are likely to go that far for a long time- if ever." He shrugged, "I'm not after that. Hell, I don't know what I'm after; I just know it's time to stop putting my life on hold. Billy wouldn't have wanted that."  
  
"No he wouldn't Bro, and neither do I." Zack could change moods on a dime. It was something he'd always loved about his friend. He smiled, and told him, "Now shoo. Get out of here, and go get a life. I hear they're on sale at Wal-Mart for $19.99"  
  
"That cheap huh?" Jase laughed as he headed out the door.  
  
"Yeah, that cheap, so you don't have an excuse for coming home without one," Zack told him.  
  
Jase turned back and winked at his friend. Closing the door he said, "Who knows. I may not even come home tonight. After all, you know how fast us Red Rangers work."  
  
Zack closed the door and watched as Trini Anne disappeared upstairs into Mina's room. He smiled to himself remembering his and Jason's and Billy's sleep-overs when they were kids. He particularly remembered the little ledge outside of Billy's bedroom window. The three of them would sit there and look out over their neighborhood and talk all night about all the things that were so important to ten year old boys: karate, the X-Men, which teachers they liked best, karate, Star Trek: The Next Generation, baseball, karate. Now he was glad that his daughter could share in the same kinds of friendships with the children of those same friends. Somehow that made everything right with the universe.  
  
Entering the kitchen, he walked up behind his wife Trini and slipped his arms around her. Leaning down he asked softly, "Have I told you that I love you lately?"  
  
Surprised by his sudden onset of affection, Trini snuggled up against her husband and said, "Yes, but you can tell me again if you want."  
  
He smiled and held her tightly saying softly, "I love you, Trini." He could feel a shudder of pleasure run through the tiny woman's body at his words.  
  
"What brought this on?" Trini asked turning to return the embrace.  
  
Zack released her and smiled. The young girl he'd fallen in love with those long years ago, had turned into a beautiful woman. He smiled back at her, "I was just thinking about old friends."  
  
Trini smiled at him and he knew she understood. She always understood him, and that was one of the things that made their marriage so strong. She extricated herself from the embrace, poured two cups of coffee and then sat down at the table and said, "I miss him too."  
  
Zack smiled, "It's more that just that. I was just thinking about all five of us growing up. How close we were. We had very little in common really, but for some reason we all stayed together, and then ended up together. Even after all these years, we all still live here in Angel Grove. That's really a rather outstanding accomplishment if you think about it."  
  
Trini smiled, "I do think about it- a lot." She took a sip of her coffee, set the cup down and reached across the table and took his hand as he joined her at the table. "I think we were destined to do the things we did. I think that destiny is what tied us together, and I think that destiny isn't quite through with us just yet."  
  
"What do you mean?" Zack asked.  
  
"I think we've got one more very important job to do," she told him. "I know that there are still Ranger teams out there, and I think that eventually we're going to be called to serve again." She looked up at the ceiling to indicate the upstairs of the house, "This time in a different capacity."  
  
He smiled, "You may be right. We've all paired off and now our children are getting close to the age when we were called."  
  
Trini smiled, "I'm just a little worried about Jason though. He's alone in this."  
  
"Jason's not alone," Zack told him. "He's got us, just like Billy's dad had the Scotts."  
  
"You may be right, but Mr. Cranston never knew what Billy was. Jason knows what Trini Anne has the potential to be. So does Tommy and I think that's why the two of them are subconsciously making sure all our kids know how to defend themselves."  
  
"We'll just have to keep our eye out for them starting to wear a single color then."  
  
~*~  
  
Tonight was going to be fun, just a girl's night together, talking about girl things. Although Mina was almost a year younger than Trini Anne, they were still close, being the only two girls in their group of friends. The boys were fun and all, but they just didn't understand some things. They spent hours talking about things important to twelve and thirteen year old girls. They talked about how they wanted to do their hair, which makeup they thought would look good on them- neither of their parents would let them wear makeup just yet. They talked about celebrity boys and which one they thought were cute.  
  
"I still say Daniel Radcliffe is cute," Mina told Trini Anne.  
  
"But he's so old," Trini protested.  
  
"He's only twenty-six," Mina countered. "That's not old."  
  
"No," Trini said, "That's ancient. I'll take Mark Neirson any day."  
  
"Girl, that's boy's got more hair than you do," Mina told her. Then smiling wickedly she said, "Besides, I don't think you've got what it takes to interest him."  
  
Trini looked down at her still developing chest. Even though she was a year younger than Trini, Mina already had more up top than she did. "What? I'm still growing," she protested.  
  
Mina giggled, "I don't think that's going to help. From what I read in Young People the other day, he'd be more interested in Jay than you."  
  
"Well, he can't have him," Trini said without thinking.  
  
"What's this, Trini Anne finally staking a claim?" Mina teased.  
  
"It's nothing like that. I already know that Jay isn't interested in boys." She giggled, "I caught him trying to look down the front of Kinesha Lewis' blouse the other day."  
  
"Girl, he wouldn't have to go very far to pull that off. That girl walks around half dressed most of the time anyway. If I ever walked out of the house dressed like that, my dad would ground me until I was thirty."  
  
Trini smiled, "Don't I know it. Dad still tries to make me wear a dress most of the time." She shook her head, "It wouldn't be so bad, but he keeps trying to put me in yellow or pink, and I just can't get it across to him that I just don't like those colors. We compromise on blue, but I like red better."  
  
Mina raised an eyebrow, "Red does have a certain connotation Trini."  
  
"I know. Still, I think it goes with my hair better than blue."  
  
Mina gave her another smile and by the tone of her voice, Trini knew she was in for some more teasing. That was okay though, Trini had a little ammunition she could use on her friend as well. "I noticed the other day while you and Jay were talking he kept wiping his hands on his jeans."  
  
"So?" Trini asked.  
  
"Well, according to Twist, sweaty palms means he likes you."  
  
"Yeah, right," Trini said sarcastically. "I don't have enough up top to keep his interest."  
  
Mina shook her head, "That's not what mom says. She told me that boys tend to look at what ever is presented, but they keep coming back to the girls they like." She shrugged, "I don't understand it. It has something to do with them being hardwired that way or something."  
  
Trini laughed, "That's Aunt Kim told me too."  
  
"Be careful there girl. I don't think she'd be quite so ready to give you boy advice if she saw how Jay's been looking at you lately."  
  
Trini smiled. Now was her opening, "Sort of the same way you keep looking at Adrian?"  
  
Mina suddenly gave her a serious look, "I don't look at Adrian any differently than I do Alex."  
  
"Mina, they're identical twins. I can barely tell them apart and they finish each other's sentences. You could be looking at Alex and think it was Adrian," Trini lay her trap.  
  
"I CAN tell the difference between them. Adrian has a nicer bu., uh. smile." Mina stepped right into it.  
  
"Yeah, right," Trini countered. "I've seen the way you watch him in the dojo."  
  
Mina shrugged, "So he's pretty." She pushed Trini back onto the bed with a giggle. "Just like Jay."  
  
Trini protested, "Hey!" and threw a stuffed mastodon at her, and the pillow fight was on.  
  
~*~  
  
Tommy looked over the file that Fred had dropped off. There wasn't a lot there. Dr. Carstonn had graduated from Cal Tech with a degree in Biology and Chemistry and a minor in physics. He went on to UCLA medical and got his MD. He'd spent the last ten years in Africa, Eastern Europe, and South America working for several world aid agencies. He paid all his taxes and had never had any trouble with the law nor the government. Then why is he setting off warning bells in my head?  
  
Copies of his degrees, his GED, and passports were there, as well as his reviews from his Masters and his published work on mosquito borne illnesses. Still there was something that bothered him. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Doctor Carstonn wasn't going to get off that easy. Tommy didn't lead the Rangers for all those years without learning to trust his instincts.  
  
~*~  
Jason hadn't enjoyed himself this much in a long time. He couldn't remember going to the movies without Trini Anne in years, and was starting to realize just how much he'd shut down his personal life. Of course watching Orlando Bloom as Bond had its own rewards too. Growing up, like his father, he was a fan of Connery and Moore. As time went on, he grew to like Brosnan's portrayal of 007 as a unification of his predecessors' styles. He never really cared too much for Dalton as the British secret agent- he was too gritty to capture Fleming's vision, and Lazenby had only had one run at the role. Bloom had taken over the role about five years ago, and had grown with it as much as Brosnan did.  
  
Over a late dinner, he and Kevin discussed the movie they'd just seen and Jason was surprised at how comfortable he felt around the doctor. There was a connection that just seemed to flow between him and the other man. He couldn't explain it, but for some reason he felt almost like he was coming home to an old friend. "So, are you planning to leave the country again?" Jason asked.  
  
Dr. Carstonn gave him confused look, "Maybe. Why do you ask?"  
  
Jason shrugged, "I'm was just wondering. I know you've spent most of your adult life out of the country, and was wondering if you were planning to stick around for a while."  
  
Jason could see a look of surprise on the other man's face. Finally, he smiled, "Is that what you're really asking Jason?"  
  
"For now."  
  
"Didn't you say that your parents taught you the first step in getting something you want, was to ask for it," Dr. Carstonn said as he put his fork down on the plate.  
  
Jason smiled, "Touché."  
  
"Then what is it you want?"  
  
"That's the problem Kevin. I'm not sure. I know that for some reason I'm extremely comfortable around you, and would like to see you again."  
  
"As a friend or as a date?" Kevin asked with a smile.  
  
"As a date," Jason said. "And as a friend." He smiled, "I don't think you can have one without the other."  
  
Kevin smiled. He'd been expecting something like this. He'd already made up his mind on how to handle this situation if it occurred. He and Tabitha had agreed on a course of action a few days ago, if he should find himself falling in love with Jason. He was packed and ready to disappear if he needed to. Putting his hands on the table, he smiled and said, "Why don't we take a walk in the park and talk."  
  
Jason looked at the other man confused. "The park? I haven't walked in the park with a date since I was in my twenties."  
  
Kevin smiled, "Then it's about time. I'll get this." Getting up, he dropped a bill on the table to cover the meal and the tip. "I have something to tell you, and I don't think this is the place."  
  
Jason nodded, the look on Kevin's face was enough to make him take what the man was saying seriously. "Okay."  
  
Half an hour later, the two men were walking along one of the moonlit paths in Angel Grove Park. The park held some deep memories for both men- memories that in a very strange way were both shared and different. Finally, Kevin looked over at Jason and said, "I need to tell you something. I'm not sure how you're going to react to this."  
  
"What is it?" Jason said. "I can't imagine it being anything that we couldn't work around." He gave the other man a serious look, "If you want to, that is."  
  
"I'm not talking about my wanting to, Jason. I'm talking about you're wanting to." He sighed and took a deep breath. "First I guess I need to tell you that I know about your involvement with the Power Rangers."  
  
Jason was shocked, but somehow he knew it was true. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said flatly.  
  
Kevin simply smiled. "Trust me I'm not going to tell anybody." He leaned back against a wall and said, "It started one day in the spring. You, Trini, Zack, Kimberly, and Billy were teleported to Zordon's Command Center in the middle of Rita's first attack on the city. Zordon made the five of you the first Ranger team. At first only you and Billy seemed interested or even believed him. It took a putty attack to convince the others. Afterwards, Kim teased you by making you think she wasn't going to continue as a Ranger, saying that the helmet messed up her hair."  
  
"How?" Jason asked unable to express his surprise. "How do you know about that? Why are you telling me this," Jason felt his guard suddenly rise. Something wasn't right here.  
  
"I had to tell you something that would convince you that I know what I'm talking about," Kevin said.  
  
"But how do you know?" Jason asked.  
  
"After you, Trini, and Zack left for the Peace Conference in Geneva and Adam, Aisha and Rocky took over your coins, the Rangers fought another of Zed's monsters. It was a monster that almost did them in. The only thing that saved them was Kim's quick thinking."  
  
"What monster?" Jason asked, his heart rising in his throat.  
  
"Zed cloned Billy and put the clone under a spell, not unlike the one Rita used on Tommy to make him evil," Kevin told him. Jason could see the fear starting to rise in Kevin's eyes. The way he swallowed when he was frightened, the nervous twisting of his wrist with one hand, were all bringing an unsettling reaction inside Jason. "The Rangers eventually beat the clone and destroyed him- at least they thought they destroyed him." The other man sighed. "In reality, he saw what was happening and teleported away at the last moment. Evidently Zed thought he was dead too, because as soon as the monster he sent down to destroy the Rangers was destroyed the controlling spell was released."  
  
"What did you do then?" Jason asked. There was no fighting it. He knew in his heart what Kevin was trying to tell him.  
  
Kevin shrugged, "For the first month or so I ran like a scared rabbit. I was afraid that the Rangers would find out I got away, or worse yet, that Zed would find out. I was afraid the other Rangers wouldn't understand, and would kill me."  
  
"I can't believe that," Jason said. "If you'd explained it to them."  
  
"You didn't see the way Tommy looked at me, Jason. I think he saw it as a mission from God to kill every monster Zed and Rita ever created."  
  
"But you're not a monster," Jason protested.  
  
"In Tommy's eyes I am," Kevin told him. "Even now, I think he suspects something."  
  
Jason sighed and leaned back against the wall next to Kevin. "So what you're telling me is that you're Billy's not-so-evil-twin-Skippy. That you've been hiding for the last fifteen years or so because you're afraid Tommy will kill you if he finds out."  
  
"Something like that," Kevin told him.  
  
"And you're telling me this why?" Jason asked.  
  
"Because, I AM Billy's clone. I have all his memories up to the point that he was cloned. I couldn't stop falling in love with you no matter how hard I tried. When I heard about Billy's death a few years ago, I couldn't not come back- I had to see if you and Trini Anne were okay. I never planned to even meet you, only to check on you and then move on. Then Trini came down with appendicitis and I had to treat her." He shook his head, and Jason could see the pain in his eyes, "I never meant for us to get this close, Jason." Sighing he stepped around in front of Jason and said, "I had to tell you the truth." He reached out gently touched the side of Jason's face. "I couldn't let this go any further without you knowing the whole story. Why I have to leave."  
  
The last shook Jason from his shock, "Leave!? Why?"  
  
"Because, Tom's eventually going to figure it out. Because it's not fair to you."  
  
"What about what's fair to you?" Jason asked. "You didn't ask to be created. You were under a spell just like Tommy," Jason said.  
  
"Maybe so, but the fact remains, Jason, I'm one of Zed's monsters. I still have the monster healing, the teleportation, all of it."  
  
"What about your soul?"  
  
"Do monsters have souls?" Kevin asked.  
  
"I don't know," Jason said. "But I know you do. If you didn't we wouldn't be having this conversation." He reached out and touched Kevin's hand. "Please don't leave."  
  
"Why Jason?" Kevin asked. "Because I'm Billy?"  
  
Jason shook his head, "No. Because you're not Billy." He turned and leaned his hands against the wall. "Because I've been obsessing about you lately. Not because you remind me of Billy. I'll admit that you do remind me of him, but that's not the reason. I've found myself attracted to the things about you that are different from him. You're more assured, more willing to stand up for yourself."  
  
"Jase, I'm talking about running away here. That's not standing up for myself."  
  
"No, you're talking about protecting me from getting hurt by you. That's taking responsibility for other people- something Billy and Kim kept accusing me of doing all the time." He turned and took Kevin's hand. "Look, I don't know if I love you yet, but I do know that what I feel for you is because of you, not because of you're being Billy's clone. I would appreciate the chance to find out if it's something we both would like to pursue further." He smiled and said, "If you leave, you're taking that chance away from me, and I really don't appreciate having things stolen from me."  
  
He could see Kevin consider his words, "What about the others? Do you think they'd be willing to give me a chance?"  
  
"We don't have to tell them," Jase said.  
  
"Tom's going to figure it out," Kevin told him. "A friend of mine in the State Department already called me to let me know that someone in the FBI has pulled my file."  
  
"I'll handle Tom," Jason said. Finally, he looked over at Kevin and told him, "Look. We may not work out. We may be too much alike to be a couple, but at least give us a chance to find out for ourselves."  
  
"What about Trini Anne?" Kevin asked. "Aren't you afraid to have one of Zed's monsters around her?"  
  
"If you were going to hurt Trini Anne, you've had plenty of chances to do that already." Jason shook his head, "Now stop making excuses."  
  
Kevin nodded, "I just wanted to make sure you'd thought of everything."  
  
"No more talking," Jason said leaning in close. "You're not leaving just to save me from falling in love with you."  
  
"I'm not?" Kevin asked. Their faces were now only a fraction of an inch apart.  
  
Jason shook his head. Their lips briefly touched as he said, "No." Then because he couldn't think of a reason not to, he kissed Kevin. 


	10. The Morning After

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a short one because I need to tie up a few loose ends before moving onto the next chapter which will involve a rather large time compression. Special thanks to Jacks for talking me out of killing everybody off and turning the world over to the bad guys. (It's been a rough couple of days.)  
  
Danny  
  
Kevin walked into his home feeling elated, as the sun rose over the eastern mountains. His date with Jason had gone extremely well- better than he ever had a right to hope for. He really never had any intention of telling Jason who he really was, but for some reason, telling him tonight had seemed right. Of course what happened after the telling had been fun too. He'd also never intended for the night go quite that far either, but after that first kiss one thing just led to another.   
  
The couple had made their way back to Jason's house, where they'd talked and necked for most of the night. Just an hour or so before sunup Kevin had found himself in the unlikely position of being the first of the two to draw a line before things went just a little too far. He liked Jason, no he had to be honest with himself he loved Jason- how could he not, after all he felt all the things that Billy did- and he didn't want to ruin things by letting them go too far too soon. He wanted to build something with the midnight eyed man, something more than just a short intense tumble or two before one or the other of them got bored with it.   
  
Now, if he could only find a way to deal with Tommy. He knew that there was something deep inside the former White Ranger that resented him, and knew that the knowledge of who and what he really was would push that resentment over the edge into something that scared him more than he cared to admit.   
  
Putting his keys down on the table next to the door, he noticed the service light blinking on the phone. Absently, he loosened his shirt collar as he hit the "play" button. The voice of an old friend, a fellow traveler on the road to redemption spoke to him in an excited voice, "Hey Kev, it's me Tabitha. You'll never guess what's happened. I've been offered the greatest job in the galaxy. I'll be out of touch for a while. I have to go on a loooooong trip I'll be back. So don't worry about me. The next time you hear from me, expect a familiar tune."  
  
Kevin smiled to himself. Tabitha deserved a break. Ever since Zordon's golden light had spread throughout the galaxy cleansing evil from the hearts of the former Ranger adversaries, none had worked harder at making up for her past sins than Tabitha. Of course he'd been surprised when the young Asian woman had approached him right after the incident with the Space Rangers with an offer of friendship- a friendship he found he sorely needed. Evidently, she'd known he'd escaped Zedd from the beginning but had said nothing. "I wonder what she means by a familiar tune?" He said absently to himself as he headed upstairs to slip between the sheets for at least a few hours sleep before he was on call at the hospital.   
  
~*~  
  
Tommy went over the information in the file. None of it made any sense. The good doctor was squeaky clean, but for some reason, Tommy didn't trust him. Tommy was at least honest enough with himself to realize that a great deal of his discomfort came from the idea Jason dating again- and dating a man at that. Deep down he realized that he'd never really dealt with Jason being gay, or with what had happened with Billy. He'd buried it, pretended it didn't happen, and gone on. Although his and Jason's relationship had eventually mended, he understood it wasn't the same any more. They were close again, even Bro's again, but there were times when he thought he saw just a hint of resentment in his friend's eyes. As if he too understood that things weren't like they used to be, and understood that things would be fine as long as there was nobody else in Jason's life.  
  
Tommy shook off the melancholy thoughts and put the file in his safe. There was no need to leave it lying around, he didn't want Kim to know that he was checking up on Jason's dates. Turning out the light in the den and closing the door, he failed to hear the low hum coming from the safe. It being hidden by the safe door, he never saw the flash of white light inside as the file disappeared.  
  
Entering the bedroom, he saw Kim look up from the book she was reading and smile. "Done with the paperwork?" she asked.  
  
Smiling he slipped into the bathroom and told her, "Yeah, it's finished for now."  
  
"Good," she told him from where she lay as he closed the door.  
  
Ten minutes later, he came out of the bathroom and slipped between the sheets next to her. Snuggling up close, he noticed a concerned look in her eyes. "What is it, Kim?"  
  
"I was just wondering…" she began.  
  
"Wondering what?" Tommy asked.  
  
Absently running her hands through his hair, she asked, "Have you noticed anything different about Trini Anne?"  
  
Tommy shook her head, "Besides the fact that she's one of the best students I've ever had?" he smiled.   
  
"I mean," she began, "About how she treats you compared to the rest of the kids."  
  
Tommy shrugged, "Can't say that I have. She's always polite, a little standoffish, but polite." He smiled at her, "I guess under the circumstances I can understand that."  
  
"What circumstances?" she asked.  
  
"I mean, Jason's a great guy and all, but he's still only a man. It's not like she's anyone to teach her how to be a girl."  
  
Kim smiled at him, "Oh, I don't know about that. I think she knows how to be a girl. I think she's more interested in how to be herself though."  
  
"Why do you ask?" Tommy wondered.  
  
He could see his wife consider her words carefully. Something was definitely on her mind. Finally, cuddling up next to him she said, "Just do me a favor."  
  
"Anything, Beautiful," he told her.  
  
"Listen to her sometimes," Kim said. "Think about how she talks to you compared to how she talks to the rest of us adults. Think about how the other kids talk to you compared to how she does."  
  
Tommy gave his wife a confused look. "I'm not sure what you mean, but okay. What's this all about?"  
  
She smiled, raised up and kissed lightly on the lips, "I think it's something you have to figure out yourself, Mr. Oliver."  
  
Pulling her closer, he kissed her again, this time it was more than just a peck. Once again, he couldn't get over how lucky he felt. He had the woman he always loved at his side. His best friend, all his friends from high school- everyone he ever cared about- lived near him, and they'd all managed to maintain their friendships after all these years. He really was the luckiest man alive. Kim kissed him back, and before long the kissing led to other things- more interesting things.  
  
~*~  
"So how did things go last night?" Zack asked Jason while Trini Anne was loading things into the car.  
  
Jason fought back a yawn and smiled, "Surprisingly well." He winked at Zack and added quickly, "With an emphasis on the surprise."  
  
"What?" Zack asked. "Made it to second base then?"  
  
Jason chuckled and winked at his friend, "Let's just say we decided to save a few things for our next date."  
  
Zack raised an eyebrow, "So there's going to be a second date?"  
  
There was if Jason had anything to do about it. He genuinely liked the Kevin. Some small part of his mind wondered if it was because of what Kevin had revealed to him last night, but realized that wasn't the case. The things he liked about Kevin were the things that made him different from Billy, not like him. Of course it didn't hurt that even though the doctor's hair was rapidly thinning, or maybe because of it, he was easy on the eyes. Jason was even surprised as well as just a little scandalized at himself for letting things go so far on the first date. Mentally shrugging to himself he thought, _Hey, I'm a grown man. I think I can take care of myself. _ To Zack he said, "I'm planning on it."  
  
"Well, you know we'll keep Trini Anne anytime you want," Zack told him.  
  
"I appreciate that Bro." Jason smiled, "More than you know." Jason realized that for some reason at this moment he felt more than a little betrayed at Billy's dad's reaction to their being in love. Mr. Cranston was costing himself the chance of getting to know his granddaughter, and some part of him missed the camaraderie that the Cranston and Scott household's had shared when he and Billy were growing up. It was with some irony he realized that after arranging for Jason's folks to take care of Billy if anything should ever happen to him, Mr. Cranston had ended up disowning his son in the end anyway. That Jason and his family had taken care of the younger Cranston to the end.  
  
"What?" Zack asked.  
  
Jason shook his head and smiled, "Just thinking about Billy's dad, that's all."  
  
As if sensing what Jason was feeling, Zack put a hand on Jason's shoulder and said, "It's his loss Bro. You can't do anything about other people's prejudices."  
  
Jason smiled at his childhood friend and said, "I know man." Turning back to the car where Trini Anne was buckling up he smiled, "Still, sometimes it hard on her knowing that he doesn't want to get to know her." He shook his head, "In a lot of ways, she's as alone as Billy was, and I want better for her than that."  
  
Jason felt Zack squeeze his shoulder and say, "You've done what you can for her, man. You've even gone so far as to make sure that she'll be taken care of if- God forbid- anything should ever happen to you."  
  
Jason smiled, "Yeah, at least I know Tommy and you guys will be there for her." He smiled forcing the darker thoughts away, "And for me. You have no idea how much I appreciate Trini, Kimberly, and Kat helping me out with those things that," he made little quotation marks with his fingers and quoted an old song, "a man just doesn't know."  
  
"Listen to you," Zack said. "Talking like you were planning on dying or something."  
  
Jason shook his head, "Nope not me. Like Conan, I plan on living forever."  
  
  
  
  



	11. Two Years Later

"So, you ready for the big picnic in the park on Saturday yet?" Trini asked Jason. As had become their habit over the past few years, they were having their usual Tuesday afternoon lunch at Casa de Angelo's to keep up with each other's lives.  
  
"That's this weekend isn't it?" Jason asked distracted as if he was surprised to find the event had snuck up on him. Trini smiled, lately his mind had seemed to be somewhere else, and she had a good idea where it was. He and Dr. Carstonn had been dating now for almost two years, and lately she'd noticed Jason checking out the real estate section of the Angel Grove Herald. She wondered just how long it was going to take the two men to finally decide to make their relationship official.  
  
Forcing the thoughts to the back of her mind she chuckled and said, "Yes, it's this weekend. Everybody's going to be there."  
  
He smiled at her and she thought for a moment he was going to say something, but at the last moment seemed to change his mind. "I'll see what I can do," he told her.  
  
"Jason Lee Scott! This is NOT optional. You are going to be there," she scolded him.  
  
Jason just smiled, "I'll try."  
  
Sensing something on her old friend's mind, she reached out and put a hand on his, "What's wrong Jase?"  
  
Jase shook his head, "Nothing."  
  
"Jase, don't give me that- nothing doesn't make you consider missing our annual picnic. Now tell me what's bothering you."  
  
He smiled "I'm just not sure that it would be a good idea." He looked off across the restaurant and said, "Tommy and I aren't getting along right now, and I don't want to put any more strain on our friendship than necessary." Trini had noticed a distance growing between the two friends over the past two years, but hadn't realized it had gotten to the point of avoiding each other.  
  
"This is about Kevin isn't it?" she asked. She remembered the big blow up the two had over Jason's coming out of the closet a few months before Billy died.  
  
Jason gave her a hurt look and nodded. "Tommy is always questioning me about him, as if he didn't approve of him." He shrugged, "Even Kevin has noticed that he's cold toward him."  
  
"And what does Kevin think about that?" Trini asked. She genuinely liked the doctor, but there were sometimes when he would look at her, she was hit with a sense of de jevu that unnerved her. She got the feeling there was more to the good doctor, than just a physical resemblance to Billy.  
  
"He doesn't want to cause any rift between me and Tommy so he usually stays home when there's something that I need to do that involves Tommy," Jason said.  
  
"And that's not fair to him or you?" Trini said.  
  
Jason sighed and sat up straight in his chair, "Look Trini. I just don't want there to be any hard words between me and Tommy, and I don't want to hurt Kevin any more with going places without him."  
  
"Has he said that it hurts him?" Trini asked.  
  
Jason shook his head, "No. Not in so many words, but I can see it in his eyes. He's been hurt in the past. He's been through a lot, and I don't want to see him have to go through more."  
  
Trini patted his hand and smiled, "Jase, I can't make you come. I can just ask that you do." She grinned at him, "And as far as Zack and I are concerned, bring Kevin with you." She shrugged, "I'm sure Adam and Kat wouldn't have a problem with it, and I know Kim wouldn't. If Tommy wants to be an ass, then we'll just have to team up and kick his white Ranger butt."  
  
Jason smiled, "I'll think about it." Trini got the feeling that she wasn't going to see him at the picnic though.  
  
"Look Jase, if not for yourself, at least bring Trini Anne. I know she's looking forward to it."  
  
Jason smiled at her. "You're hitting below the belt now, Trini. Using Trini Anne against me isn't fair."  
  
She grinned at him, "I know." Winking at him, she added, "But who said I had to play fair?"  
  
~*~  
  
Kim was putting away groceries when she saw Jay head out the door tucking in a blue tee-shirt. "I'm going over to the twin's house, Mom. I'll see you later."  
  
"Don't forget about supper! Six o'clock."  
  
"I won't!" he called back as he climbed into Trini Anne's red jeep- a present from her father on her sixteenth birthday.  
  
Seeing her from the front seat of the Wrangler, the young blonde straightened the red vest she was wearing and waved at her. Kim waved back as the duo sped off toward Adam and Kat's house. The last she'd heard, the whole gang was meeting over at the Park's house to get some kind of big surprise ready for the picnic on Saturday.  
  
She held a small hope in her heart that Tommy wouldn't be an ass about the picnic. Lately, he'd been getting more and more difficult to deal with about Jason. It seemed like as soon as Jason finally, had someone to share his life with, Tommy had become almost dead set against it. She knew for a fact that Tommy called Fred Gillman and had an FBI check done on Dr. Carstonn. Tommy had become almost obsessed with the man. Shaking her head, she finished putting the perishables in the fridge and was about to turn to the rest of the groceries when the door bell rang.  
  
Wondering who it could be, she went to front door to find a nervous looking Kat standing there. "Hi Kim. Can I come in?" She looked like she'd been shaken by something.  
  
"What's wrong, Kat?" Kim asked.  
  
Kat smiled, "I was doing laundry today." She turned to the fireplace and looked at the pictures there. There were several group portraits showing each of the Ranger Teams to which she and Tommy had belonged- all in civilian identities and lounging about in the park. Kat picked up the Zeo teams portrait and traced her finger along each of the members of the team with a brief smile before putting it back on the mantle.  
  
"And?" Kim asked.  
  
"I got to noticing something." She smiled, "You know how even now it's hard to tell the boys apart?" Kim nodded but said nothing waiting for Kat to continue. The running joke was that Aidan and Alex were more like two halves of each other than individuals. "Well, I started to realize that lately I haven't been having that much trouble."  
  
"It just means they're growing up. Growing into individual persons," Kim said.  
  
Kat shook her head, "No. They still look so much alike it's frightening, and they still finish each other's sentences. It's something else. Something I noticed in the laundry."  
  
"What did you find, Kat?" Kim wondered if Kat had found something in one of the twin's pockets that had upset her so.  
  
Kat shook her head, "Can I ask you to do me a favor?"  
  
Kim gave the other woman a puzzled look. "Sure."  
  
"It's going to sound strange," Kat pointed out.  
  
"With this group, nothing sounds strange Kat," Kim told her.  
  
Kat just smiled, "Can you and I go take a peek in Jay's closet. I'm not talking about rummaging around, I just want to see something." Now that was a strange request. Kim knew that Kat and Adam were both pretty big on protecting their twin's privacy- much the same Kim and Tommy were about Jay's- so the request was a little strange.  
  
"Why?" Kim asked.  
  
"I just want to see something," Kat told her. "Before I say anything else."  
  
Kim shrugged, "I guess so." She got up and headed upstairs, Kat following her.  
  
Opening the door to Jay's room, Kim was immediately embarrassed by her son's house-keeping skills- or lack thereof. The room was a mess, the bed barely made. Technical journals were lying around everywhere, and the guts to Tommy's old computer were spread out on a work bench, along with a half dozen other technical projects. She was very much reminded of the bedroom of another old young man a long time ago. Kim shuddered as they picked their way past a hamper of dirty laundry set out for the washer, and opened the closet. "Uh sorry about the mess. I guess I need to get Jay to clean his room again."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Kat said. You should see the twins' rooms. Kim noticed her staring at the pile of blue jeans and other clothes.  
  
Kat just looked at the closet for a moment before all the color drained out of her face. "What is it Kat?" Kim asked.  
  
"Notice anything?" Kat gestured toward the closet.  
  
Kim just shook her head. She really hadn't paid that much attention to what Jay was wearing, except to make sure whether or not it was clean, and appropriate for a young man to wear. She remembered her surprise about month ago to find several pair of underwear in his laundry that she knew she hadn't purchased. They were the skimpy colored sort. Not something she'd ever have bought him. Looking back at the closet, shrugged and said, "No. Not really."  
  
"Look at the colors. Notice anything?" Kat asked.  
  
Kim turned back and it hit her. "Where in the world did all this blue come from?"  
  
Kat smiled at her. "Exactly. I noticed almost all of Alex's stuff had yellow running through it, and if Aidan dresses much more in black he's going to start to look like a Goth kid."  
  
The two women turned from the room and headed back downstairs. "And Trini was wearing red when she picked Jay up." She turned and looked at Kat. "You don't think?..."  
  
Kat shrugged, "I don't know. There IS a new Ranger team, and all of them have started to wear those funny rings." Kat pointed out the rings each of their kids tended to wear- they said it sort of "family" thing, and left it at that.  
  
Returning to the kitchen, Kim bade Kat to sit down. "Should we tell the guys?"  
  
"Tell them what?" Kat asked. "We don't know anything for sure."  
  
Kim nodded. "Let's keep an eye on them for a while. If they start acting strange, maybe we should start asking some questions on our own. Maybe we should call Trini and ask her if Mina has started to wear a lot of pink lately."  
  
Kat chuckled, "Already did. Trini said that the girl's closet looks like something out of an old Reese Witherspoon movie." She chuckled, "Or our old closets."  
  
I guess that settles it then," Kim said.  
  
"I think you might be right." Kat replied. 


	12. ISSUE 12: The Beginning of the End

_AUTHOR'S NOTE Okay, this one is winding down soon. Some pretty serious things are going to start happening over the next few chapters. I'm hoping you guys have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it. I do have a question for anyone out there who might know the answer. I'm looking for a specific fanfic set in the ZEO era. I don't know the name or the author (Yeah I know that doesn't leave much to go on). The basic plot behind it was that when Jason came back as the Gold Ranger Billy was in pretty bad shape emotionally and physically. He and Tommy had a major fight over how the other rangers had been treating Billy, and Jase points out to him that when they were the Morphin Rangers, each Ranger took care of their own Zord. I'm trying to find it, but can't. If anyone could help me I would appreciate it._  


* * *

  
  
Kevin smiled over at Jase, as the two put the dishes away after supper. As was their habit that had grown over the past year, they spent every Wednesday night at Jase's house. First it was supper- just he, Jase, and Trini Anne- then the dishes, and then a couple of hours of board games. Kevin understood what Jase was trying to do- he was trying, and succeeding, in getting the young girl to accept the idea that there was someone else in his life. He knew that Jase had no idea how good that made him feel. "What?" Jase asked.  
  
Kevin chuckled and replied, "I was jut thinking that this last couple of years has really been pleasant."  
  
Jase smiled back at him, "I know." Then he gave Kevin an even look, but the twinkle in his eye was pretty made it clear that Jase was teasing. He said, "You know we were set up don't you?"  
  
Kevin gave him a confused look, "What do you mean?"  
  
"Trini Anne, and Jay," Jase said. "They set us up. Sort of kept trying to push us together until one of us asked the other out."  
  
Kevin raised an eyebrow. He had always wondered why the girl had been so accepting of his relationship with her father. "As a matter of the fact I didn't." He looked past Jase into toward the living room where Trini was getting out the _Risk_ game. He'd noticed lately, that Trini had been showing an interest in strategy games over the usual board games they started the year off with. She'd even gone so far as to borrow Rocky's copy of _Axis and Allies_ and _Fortress Europa_. "But to be honest with you, I wouldn't be surprised." He smiled at Jason, "Did I tell you that when she was in the hospital, she asked me if I had a partner? Not did I have a wife, but did I have a partner."  
  
The look of surprise and chagrin on Jase's face was both amused and somewhat scandalized. "She was planning on setting us up from the beginning?" he asked.  
  
Kevin smiled, "I think so. That girl has one keen set of gaydar."  
  
"I'm not sure how I feel about that," Jase said.  
  
"Don't worry, Jase." He looked past her, "I don't think you have to worry about her. I think she's sort of got her bonnet set for Jay."  
  
Jase chuckled, "I'm not sure that makes me feel any better."  
  
Before Kevin could reply, Jason's ears seemed to prick up. He too thought he'd heard an old familiar tune. An instant later, Trini came into the room carrying a notebook, "Dad, I just remembered, I have to take some notes from chemistry over to Jay's before it gets too late. I won't be out long."  
  
Kevin and Jase looked at each other. "Uh okay, honey. Be careful."  
  
Trini bounced up and kissed both men on the cheek before heading out the door. Jase noticed he never heard the sound of her jeep starting up. He looked over at Kevin and asked in awe, "Did what I think happened, just happen?"  
  
Kevin chuckled, "I think s…, shit!" So awed by the circumstances surrounding Trini's departure, his grip on the glass he was drying slipped. He reached for it as it tumbled from his hand to hit the side of the granite counter top. Quickly he readjusted his aim to try to catch the wandering drinking container, only to have its pieces slice into his palm.   
  
Jason's smile quickly turned to concern as he came over and looked at the gash in Kevin's hand. "It's all right Jase. My monster healing factor should take care of it." He put his hand under the running water to wash the blood away, only to see that it WASN'T healing.  
  
"I wish you wouldn't call it that," Jase said coming up behind him.   
  
Kevin shrugged, "It's what it is isn't it?"  
  
Jason pulled him into a strong embraced and said, "No. It's a gift you have. You are NOT a monster."  
  
Kevin chuckled as he looked at his still bleeding palm. "You may be right." He winced and pulled the piece of glass from his hand. "It doesn't seem to be healing."  
  
"Let me see," Jason took Kevin's hand in his own and looked at it closely. "I thought you healed almost immediately?"  
  
"I do," Kevin said. "Not that I've needed it much lately."  
  
"Well, you're not healing now." Jason looked the wound. He smiled, "I guess you're just going to be stuck healing the old fashion way like the rest of us mere mortals."  
  
Kevin looked at his hand wondering, "You may be right."  
  


* * *

  
  
Trini teleported into the Power Center deep beneath the surface of Angel Grove. "What's the emergency, Scorpina?" she asked.  
  
The lithe Asian woman looked at her and half smiled, half scowled, "I've asked you not to call me that Trini. I'm no longer that person. Please call me Tabitha."  
  
Trini smiled, "I know. I just like to tease you." She looked around as the other Rangers teleported in. "What's up?"  
  
"I've been getting some strange readings from Lolth's lair. It looks like she's putting together an assault team. I want you five to be on your guard. We don't know what she's got planned but I've got a bad feeling about it."  
  
"Any clues to…," Aiden began  
  
"… what she's up to?" Alex finished.  
  
Tabitha grinned at the Black and Yellow Rangers, "Not yet boys. I'm still watching. I think she's planning a major assault though."  
  
"Great," Mina said. "We've got a major family gathering this weekend. If she attacks then it would be a major disaster."  
  
"Trust me, I know," Tabitha smiled and told the Pink Ranger. "When I was on the other side of this war, we used to plan these things to be as inconvenient as possible."  
  
"You think the Spider Queen may try to do the same?" Jay asked.  
  
"Count on it," Tabitha told him. "She can track you by your Power Crystals, and trust me, she's been watching you."  
  
Trini groaned. "Just great, right when I've about got my dad convinced to actually go, we get news like this."  
  
"What do you mean, convinced him to go?" Jay asked. "He never misses the picnic."  
  
Trini looked at Jay carefully. The last thing she wanted to do was upset her blue clad friend, especially with what seemed to be building between them, but there really was no hiding what had been going on between her dad and Mr. Oliver lately. "He doesn't want to go without Kevin, uh… Dr. Carstonn."  
  
Jay just shrugged, "So? Why can't Dr. Carstonn come?"  
  
Mina stepped in to save her team leader, "Because when Uncle Tommy and Dr. Carstonn get around each other, you can cut the tension with a knife. I don't think Dr. Carstonn feels comfortable around your dad, Jay," the smile on her face combined with the tone of her voice made it clear that there was no condemnation in her voice.  
  
Jay shook his head, "Dad wouldn't HURT Dr. Carstonn," he protested. He shook his head, and then looked guiltily over at Trini Anne. He hadn't failed to notice the ice in his father's eyes when ever Uncle Jason's date was discussed. "I just think he doesn't trust him for some reason."  
  
"Why do you think that is?" Tabitha asked.  
  
Jay shrugged, "I dunno." He sighed, "I think it has something to do with Uncle Billy." Jay promised himself two years ago that he wasn't going to walk on eggshells about Trini's deceased parent. It hurt his mom and Uncle Jason too much to think that nobody wanted to talk about the man.  
  
Tabitha just nodded, and Trini got the feeling that she knew more than she was letting on. Finally, trying to lighten the mood she said, "But I think I got him convinced to come." Looking over at Mina she quickly added, "Both of them."  
  
The Pink Ranger smiled at her, "Good. I LIKE Dr. Carstonn."  
  
Trini smiled, "So do I." She blushed deeply remembering her father looking at a set of gold bands at the jewelry store last week, "I think they're thinking of making it official soon."  
  
"That's great news!" Mina said, patting his friend on the back.  
  
"Yeah," Aiden said coming up behind the Pink Ranger and putting an arm around her waist. Trini couldn't help but notice the strange look his twin gave him. She wondered how they would react to one or the other of them starting to take an interest in girls. Poor Alex was suddenly left out of the mix. Laughing to herself, she thought,_ I guess we're just going to have to get ourselves a sixth Ranger_.  
  
"Okay children, I just wanted to let you know to be on the lookout. You'd better get back home before your parents miss you."  
  
"Sure, Tabitha," Alex said giving Mina a less than friendly look. "Maybe we DO need to get home."  
  
"Trini," Tabitha said, "stay a minute."  
  
"Yes, ma'am." Trini nodded as the others teleported out.  
  
"What can I do for you, Tabitha?" she asked.  
  
Tabitha sat down in one of the chairs at the console and bade Trini to take the other. "Two things really. One is your personal life which is none of my business but I'm going to ask anyway. The other, however has to do with the team."  
  
Trini smiled and took a seat across from her Mentor. "Okay, let's take care of team business first. What's up?"  
  
Tabitha smiled at her professionalism. It was hard to believe she was only sixteen years old. She was doing a good job of stepping into her father's shoes. "You might want to keep an eye on Alex," she said. "I don't think he's too happy right now."  
  
Trini thought about it, "You mean about being jealous of Mina?"  
  
Tabitha nodded, "Yeah, I'm afraid he might see her as trying to come between him and his brother."  
  
Trini nodded, "Yeah, I know. I guess we're just going to have to find him a girlfriend."  
  
Tabitha chuckled, "That might be hard. Rangers tend to date Rangers. It's easier that way."  
  
"How do you know about Rangers dating Rangers?" Trini asked.  
  
Tabitha smiled, "Because I watched what went on between the first Green and Pink Rangers. Then I watched as other Rangers paired off."  
  
"You KNOW who the original Rangers were?" Trini asked.  
  
Tabitha nodded with a strange smile, "Of course. I've even been keeping an eye on one or two of them since I switched sides after the Golden Wave."  
  
"Huh?" Trini asked.  
  
"Long story. Let's just say, I've had an interest in making sure one or two of the former Rangers were safe and happy for a long time."  
  
Trini dropped her gaze to look at her mentor through lidded eyes, "You're not going to tell me who they were are you?"  
  
Tabitha shook her head, "No, I'm not. They've served their time, and they don't need to be pestered by the new team. Besides, if I did that, I would have to tell them your identities, and I don't think you would like that."  
  
Trini smiled, "Okay. What about the second thing?"  
  
Tabitha leaned back in her chair and frowned at herself before continuing. "Like I said, it's your personal life, so if you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to."  
  
"Go on," Trini said evenly.  
  
Tabitha sighed and leaned forward in her chair, locking gazes with her Red Ranger, "How do you feel about your dad and Dr. Carstonn getting married?"  
  
Trini gave her a confused look before saying, "I'm thrilled about it. I didn't go to all that trouble to push those two together two years ago, just to be whimsical. I think they're good for each other, and it's about time that Daddy let Dad go."  
  
"That's kind of harsh, Trini," Tabitha told her.   
  
Trini shrugged, "I never knew him," she said. "I would have liked to have known him, but I never got the chance. I do love him, but it's in an abstract sort of way. People keep telling me I'm a lot like him, but I don't know. What can I say about something with which I have no experience? I know Daddy though, and he deserves to be happy, and I think Kevin makes him happy."  
  
"How do you feel about Kevin then? Do you think he might be trying to take Billy's place? Does that bother you?"  
  
Trini smiled and shook her head sadly, "How can he take somebody's place who was never there? I'm not my dad, or Uncle Zack, or Aunt Trini, or Aunt Kim or Mr. Oliver. I didn't know him, so there's no place to take. He's made his own place in my life. One I'd like to see there more often."  
  
"How about your friends? How do they feel knowing your dad's gay?" Tabitha asked.  
  
"You think they'd be my friends if it was a problem?" Trini asked. There was a fierceness in her voice. "My Daddy has been father, mother, and grandfather for me. He hasn't had it easy, I know that. He's been lonely, and there's always been a little sadness to him. If ANY of my friends had a problem with him being happy, then they wouldn't be a friend of mine. However, I DO know for a fact, that Jay and the rest of the gang are as happy as I am about it."  
  
Tabitha leaned back in her chair with a smile, "Okay, I believe you." She chuckled and locked gazes with Tabitha again. Now it was time to test the real strength of this team. She had no illusions about what was building between Tommy and Jason, and she wasn't happy that her friend was going to be caught in the middle of it. She was even less happy that it could rip her Ranger Team apart. "What do you think Jay will do if your father and his have a falling out about Kevin?"  
  
Trini shrugged, "I don't think Jay would let it come between us," she blushed. "I know I wouldn't want it to." She sighed, "But still, he's my Dad, and Mr. Oliver is his dad. I just hope we can work through it."  
  
"I'm sure you can," Tabitha told her, hoping for the best. Whatever was building wasn't a good thing, and she wasn't sure the Rangers could weather it. Not when families were involved.   
  


* * *

  
  
Kevin sat back on the couch with Jason with his hand bandaged. Jason seemed worried that his healing factor hadn't kicked in. How could he explain it to his lover that he thought this was a good thing, that it meant he was moving away from being a monster created by Zedd to destroy the Rangers, to being a human being. Smiling at the concerned look on Jase's face, he said, "Don't worry about it Jase. It's already stopped bleeding."  
  
"I just don't like surprises, Kevin," Jason told him.   
  
Kevin raised an eyebrow, "Are you upset about the cut or what we heard before Trini left?" He smiled again, "The cut will heal."  
  
"How is it that you know me so well after only two years?" Jason asked.  
  
"Because I still have eight years of memories before that." He shook his head, "To be honest Jason, the only gaps in my memories of what you and Billy shared come from my creation forward. I still remember the same things he did. I remember the hiking trip in Angel Grove Forest that went so bad. I remember when we got stranded on that island." He smiled wickedly, "I even remember switching bodies with Kimberly. I know they didn't happen to me, to this body, but I remember as if they did."  
  
Jason chuckled at him, "I know. It's still a little strange every now and again." He leaned forward, "You know I love you for who you are, not because of who you were, don't you?"  
  
Kevin smiled. This was something Jason was worried about. He was afraid that Kevin would think Jase only stayed with him because he was Billy's clone. Kevin knew the dark eyed man better than that. It was nice that he shared Billy's history, and he wished he could let the others know that he did so, but he also realized that he wasn't Billy, and he knew that Jase knew that too. "Of course I know that. That's one of the reasons it was so easy to fall back in love with you."  
  
Jason nodded, "Good, because there's something I want to ask you."  
  
Kevin smiled, "What love?"  
  
Jason grinned, and wiped his palms on the legs of his jeans. He took a deep breath as if steeling himself, reached over and took Kevin's hand and smiled. "Would you be willing to make our relationship legal? Do you want to stand up with me in front of all our friends and pledge forever?"   
  
Kevin could see the look of hope in Jason's eyes. Kevin wanted this so bad he could taste it. He'd wanted it since he broke Zedd's spell. But he wasn't fooling himself. There was still something standing in his way. Something that had to be dealt with before they could do that. Smiling up at Jason he said, "I want it more than you can know Jase."  
  
Jason could hear the unspoken "but" in his voice. He voiced it, "But?"  
  
"There's something you have to do first. You have to get things worked out with you and Tommy first. I won't be party to breaking up your friendship."  
  
Jason shook his head, "Kevin, you're not breaking up our friendship. Tommy's being an ass. He was an ass about Billy and he's being an ass about you."  
  
Kevin shook his head, "You never told me what happened between you and Tommy that caused this rift. I gather that after Billy died it healed somewhat, but I never knew what caused it."  
  
Jason raised an eyebrow. During the whole time they'd been dating, Kevin had never pried into what had caused him and Tommy to fight. Jason got the feeling that Kevin was waiting on him to tell him in his own time. "Do you want to know?"  
  
Kevin gave him an even look, "Not if it would open old wounds."  
  
Jase shook his head, "The wounds are already reopened, Kevin. Telling you won't make a difference. It might help you understand why I was so angry too."  
  
"Okay, if you want to I'd like to know," Kevin said. "My last memories of Tommy were pleasant. I can't imagine him becoming so harsh."  
  
Jase sat back in on the couch and began, "It started not long after Billy got back from Aquitar and took up his duties as coadjutor in Power Chamber- after I'd left the team to heal from what the Gold Powers had done to me. I got a call from Adam saying Billy had fallen from Tommy's 'zord. That he was in critical condition at Angel Grove General."  
  
Jason sighed and leaned forward again, rubbing his hands against his temples. He hadn't lied when he'd told Kevin that these wounds had been reopened. In some ways they were still fresh, made fresh again, by Tommy's repeat performance of how he'd acted back then. "I'd gone to the hospital to see Billy, to make sure he was still alive, that he was GOING to be alive. I guess I was starting to realize that what I felt for him was more than just a little brother, that if he died, that my world would turn to ashes."   
  
He smiled again, looking up. "Later, after we'd finally crossed the line from friends to lovers, I told him that. He just smiled. Sometimes I think that's why he gave in to Mom so easily about children. I think he might have suspected he was dying and he wanted to make sure I had a reason to live- not to follow him."  
  
Kevin just smiled. That sounded like something he'd do in that situation, and God knows that was as close enough endorsement for the idea as you could get. "Go on. You were telling me about after the hospital."  
  
Jase nodded his head, "I wanted to know what had happened. I was pissed off. I'd already talked to Adam, and according to him, outside of him and Kat, the rest of the Rangers hadn't even come to the hospital."  
  
"I find that a little hard to believe of Aisha and Rocky," Kevin said.  
  
Jason shrugged, "Rocky and I talked about it. He said that he'd been a couple of times, but hadn't told anyone. He'd started to realize what had been happening and was feeling guilty about it."  
  
"What had happened?" Kevin asked.  
  
"Mondo had just kept pushing and pushing. The Rangers were still in High School so they had that stress. Billy had graduated early, and had pretty much taken up residence in the Command Center. It seemed that the more battles the Rangers fought, the more they needed what little free time they could get to finish their studies or just unwind. What nobody stopped to consider was that the less they did of their own maintenance, the more that was left for Billy to do."  
  
"Seems reasonable," Kevin said. "Billy could have said something."  
  
Jason nodded, "I know that now. But anyway, Tommy was at the time hot in pursuit of Kat, and the other Rangers had all their other responsibilities, and they just figured Billy would handle it." Jason shook his head at the memory. "I checked the work log in the 'Zord bay from when Billy had fallen. "He'd gone into the Bay on Friday morning. According to the computers, he'd worked straight through until he collapsed on Sunday afternoon." Jason looked steadily over at Kevin, "Do you know where the other Rangers were?"  
  
Kevin shook his head, "At home resting I guess."  
  
Jason chuckled bitterly, "They were on a campout at Billy's uncle's resort. The only reason they found out he fell was because Alpha found him."  
  
Kevin shook his head, mentally forcing himself to stay neutral in this. He told himself that Billy should have called for help, but he understood where he wouldn't have. Finally, he said, "That's harsh."   
  
"When I found that out, I hit the roof. I found Tommy in the 'Zord bay cussing because his 'Zord wasn't repaired. I lost it. We fought. We said some pretty harsh words to each other. I accused him of trying to kill Billy, of being lazy." Jason sighed. "I really shouldn't have tried to talk to him when I was so angry, but I couldn't help it. Billy could have died from that fall."  
  
Kevin could see the tears starting to well up in Jase's eyes. "Jase, you don't have to go on if you don't want to."  
  
Jase just shook his head, "Tommy said he didn't realize Billy had been working that hard. That he thought that since he wasn't in school and didn't have to out actually BE a Ranger, he could get it all done. Then he made some comment about over estimating Billy's abilities and I almost hit him. I told him exactly what I thought of him as a leader, as a person, and as a man."  
  
"I bet that went over like a load of bricks," Kevin said.  
  
Jason smiled, "You guessed it. He came back at me. Told me exactly how glad he was the Billy wasn't a Ranger anymore. How he was glad he didn't have to watch out for him, to protect him in battle anymore, that he was worse than Kimberly. He said that geeks with brains were a dime a dozen, but fighters, real Rangers were rare."  
  
"I can't believe Tom would say something like that," Kevin said.  
  
"I guess he was still hurting from the letter Kim had sent. It was a low blow, and I told him so," Jase said. "At that point he told me that if I was that worried about him, that I should come back and take over the team, or better yet marry him."  
  
Kevin laughed. "So you did."  
  
Jason smiled, "Yeah, I did." He sighed, "What I didn't realize, what I was too angry at the time to realize, is that Tommy was hurting too. He was blaming himself and my coming and sticking my nose into it just made it that much worse, so he lashed out at me, through Billy."  
  
"So you took Billy back to LA with you?" Kevin asked.  
  
Jason nodded, "And the rest is history." Leaning in to face Kevin he smiled, "Now about what I asked you?"  
  
Kevin smiled, "Jason, I want to marry you so bad it makes my hair hurt," grinning he reached up to his receding hairline, "what's left of it that is."  
  
"But?" Jason said.  
  
Kevin grinned wryly as he looked down at his hand, and thought about what his lack of a healing factor meant. Suddenly coming to a decision, he smiled up at his lover and shook his head, "No buts, name the date."  
  


* * *

  
  
Trini Anne slipped upstairs, her head and her heart in turmoil. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard her father tell Kevin. She was ecstatic about Kevin saying yes, but the story her father told. _He'd been a Ranger? Uncle Adam and Aunt Kat were Rangers too? _ _Even dad, Billy, had been a Ranger!_ Most startling of all, was that Kevin was some kind of clone- of her father no less! _No wonder Tabitha chose them to be the Geoforce Rangers!_  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	13. ISSUE 13: Yo Bro!

_Author's Note:  I'm sorry this has taken so long to update.  My life is in chaos right now.  I'm in the middle of a health crisis, I'm having to move when I really don't want to, and I'm losing my best friend.  I hope everyone will bear with me.  I hope to have Dragonkin updated soon. I'm putting the Second Chances Sequel on the backburner for a while- at least until I finish up these two._

_Thanks for your patience._

_Danny_

_~*~_

        "Yo, Bro," Zack yelled.  He and Adam caught up with Tommy as the former Ranger leader was leaving the dojo. 

        Turning to see his friends, Tommy smiled, "Hey guys.  What's up?"

        Zack and Adam smiled at him as they caught up.  Adam said, "We've come to take you lunch."

        Tommy gave them both a confused look as he raised an eyebrow.  "Uh, I was planning on going home for lunch."

        "Well, now you're going to Casa De'Angelo's with us," Zack said.  "And we're not taking "no" for an answer."

        "Uh, okay," Tommy knew better than to protest.  Besides it had been a while since he'd spent any time with Zack and Adam.  The distance that was growing between him and Jason was starting to take its toll on his relationship with the other former Rangers.  It was even starting to affect his marriage.  Looking at their faces, he realized that this might be why they wanted to have lunch.  "Why do I get the feeling that I'm about to get my chops busted?" he chuckled to take the sting out of his question.

        Zack smiled, "Don't worry Tommy, I'll leave the tire iron in the trunk."  Tommy remembered the time Zack had threatened to beat him to death with a tire iron if he ever tried to treat Trini like he'd treated Billy right after it became clear that the former Blue and Red Rangers had become lovers.

        Tommy laughed as Adam gave both men a strange look.  He said, "Good."

        Ten minutes later the three friends were sitting in a corner booth at Angel Grove's best Mexican restaurant.  It wasn't the finest, but it did have the best food.  After giving the waiter their orders, Zack and Adam looked at each other.  Tommy smiled, realizing that they had something they wanted to discuss and leaned back in his booth.  "Spit it out guys.  Something's bothering both of you."

        Both men had the good graces to look sheepish.  Finally Adam cleared his throat and said, "Tommy, you know you're a good friend.  We've been team mates and saved each other's lives countless times."

        Tommy nodded, "Go on Bro."

        Adam looked back at Zack and then to Tommy, "We wanted to talk to you about what's going on with you and Jase."

        "Nothing's going on with me and Jase," Tommy protested, knowing it was a lie.

        "Yeah, right," Zack said sarcastically.  "Tommy, Adam's right.  You're one of the finest men I've ever known, and you're a good friend.  But you've got a serious blind spot when it comes to certain aspects of Jason's life.  Aspects that it's time you dealt with."

        "You mean the fact that Jason is gay?" Tommy asked.

        Adam shook his head, "No, we mean the fact that you're fine with Jason being gay as long as he doesn't date anyone."

        "It's not that Jason is dating," Tommy said, "It's _who_ he's dating."  He leaned back in his seat, "For some reason I just don't trust Dr. Carstonn."

        "Because he reminds you of Billy?" Adam asked.  "Don't think we haven't noticed it too, Tommy."  He sighed, "The question is: Is your discomfort coming from any real threat you might perceive; or your own guilty conscience over the way you acted toward Billy in the end?"

        The words stung Tommy deeply.  His first reaction was to lash out, to hurt Adam back, but he checked it before it got out of hand.  It was a valid question- especially since his and Jason's distance was starting to affect the rest of their friends.  Tommy shook his head, "I honestly don't know.  Something is familiar about him- familiar in a non-Billy sort of way."  He sighed.  "Look, I know I treated Billy poorly.  He didn't deserve that.  I guess part of my original anger was over the idea that Billy could share something with Jason I couldn't.  Later it grew into blaming him for Jason being gay."

        "Is the idea that Jason is gay what's bothering you?" Zack asked.

        Tommy shook his head.  By now it was too far into the discussion to hold back.  This had been bothering him for nearly fifteen years.  It was time he talked to SOMEBODY about it.  Ironically, the one person who could probably help him deal with it, explain it to him was dead, "No…, yes…, I don't know.  I just know that when I see him with Dr. Carstonn it seems like he saying that there's at least thing in my life you can't share."

        Zack and Adam exchanged glances.  Zack started to say something, but Adam cut him off.  "So this is about your friendship with Jason?"  He sighed and leaned back.

        Zack leaned forward, "Has anyone ever said anything to you about your relationship with Kimberly coming between us?  Do you think you should share that with us?"

        "No!" Tommy protested half rising out of his seat.  "How could you suggest such a thing?"

        Zack just shook his head, "If you can ask that of Jason, it's a fair question, Bro."

        Adam chuckled, "I think what Zack is trying to say, albeit clumsily, is do you WANT to share that aspect of Jason's life with him?"

        "What do you mean?" Tommy asked afraid of what he was hearing.

        "Do you want to have that kind of relationship with Jason?"

        "No!" Again Tommy protested.  

        "Then what's wrong with him sharing it with someone else?  It's who he is."

        "But why does he have to be that way?"  Tommy asked.

        Zack shrugged, "Because that's who he is.  He wouldn't be Jason otherwise."

        "It separates us," Tommy said.  "It's put a wall between us."

        Adam shook his head, "No, Tommy. You've put a wall between you.  It's up to you to tear it down."

        "Why can't things have just gone on like they were before?" Tommy asked.

        "What?" Zack asked. "With Jason lonely in that old house of his?  Do you really want to put him through that?  I can't believe that you're that selfish Bro."

        "I don't want him to be alone.  I WANT him to be happy," Tommy said.

        "Kevin makes him happy," Adam replied.  

        "Why can't it be someone else?" Tommy said.

        "Because it's not," Zack said.  He leaned forward, "What is it about Kevin that bothers you?  You keep saying that something is setting off bells in your head. What kind of bells?"

        Tommy shrugged, "I don't know. Some instinct keeps telling me that he's not what he seems to be."

        "Tommy," Adam said quietly.  "None of us are what we seem to be.  It's part of being human."

        Tommy shrugged and joked, "Maybe he's not human."

        "Yeah, right," Adam repeated Zack's sarcastic reply from earlier.

        Zack's voice suddenly became serious, "Look Tommy.  You do know that this Saturday is our annual picnic don't you?" Tommy just nodded.  "Well, do you also know that Jason told Trini that he doesn't think he's going to come?"

        "Because of Kevin?" Tommy asked.

        Adam shook his head, "No. Because of you."

        "Why me?"

        "Because you've made it pretty clear that you don't like Kevin, and Jason's about reached the point where you're making him choose between you and Kevin," Adam told him.

        "I can't believe he'd do that," Tommy said.

        "Do what?" Adam asked in a quiet voice that demanded an answer.

        "Choose Kevin over me," Tommy said.

        "Are you really that arrogant, Tommy?" Zack asked. "Do you really believe that you are SO important that your best friend should give up a shot of happiness just because you don't like the person that comes with that happiness?"  Zack shook his head, "I can't believe you're that shallow Tommy."

        "I'm not!" Tommy protested.  Before he could say more, the waiter arrived with their food.

        For long moments they ate in quiet.  Finally, Adam spoke up again, "How would you feel if Jason told you that you would have to choose between his friendship and Kimberly."

        "Jason would never do that."

        Adam smiled, "You're right.  He wouldn't, but YOU are."

        That hit Tommy like a load of bricks.  _Am I really telling Jason that he has to choose between Dr. Carstonn and me?  Have I pushed him that far?_  Some part of him realized that deep down he was.  That he wasn't being fair to Jason, and he'd been a whole lot less than fair to Dr. Carstonn.  "What should I do?" he asked simply.

        "Call Jason, tell him that you want him AND KEVIN to come to the picnic," Zack said.

        "And you think that would patch things up?" Tommy asked.

        Zack simply told him, "It would be a good start."  He smiled, "Look, I'm not saying you HAVE to like Kevin.  You DO have to accept that he's part of Jason's life- a very important part.  If you don't, you're going to lose your best friend."

        "I'll think about it Zack," Tommy told him.

        Zack smiled and said, "Just don't take too long."

~*~

        Trini Anne had been excited all day long.  The news she'd overheard last night had shocked her.  The more she thought about it, the more it made sense.  She'd once kidded her Aunt Kim that when her father and his friends started talking about certain colors the only thing that made sense scared her.  Now, she realized why it made sense. Of course overhearing her father asking Kevin to marry him and for the other man to accept was just as exciting. Smiling, she came into the house to find her father and Dr. Carstonn sitting in the living room quietly talking.  There were several magazines lying on the coffee table.  Noting that the magazines were vacation brochures, she smiled to herself.  "Hiya Dad," she bent down and kissed her father on the cheek.  Then turning to the Doctor, she repeated the gesture and said, "Hiya Doc."

        Her father cleared his throat.  "Trini, I…, uh… we wanted to talk to you."

        She smiled impishly at her father.  Sitting down in the recliner next to the sofa, she smiled.  Noticing the nervous looks on her father's and Kevin's face she masked her own behind a look of seriousness.  "About what?"

        Her father looked back at Kevin and then to her.  He began, "Well, you know that Kevin and I have been dating now for about two years."  She only nodded in affirmation.  "We've grown really close," he stumbled for words, "really close."

        "I see," was all she could say as she struggled to hide her mirth.

        Her father locked eyes with her momentarily and then said, "What I'm trying to tell you is that we want to have a commitment ceremony, and were wondering how you felt about that idea."

        She leaned back in her chair, forcing her face to stay neutral.  After studying her father and the man who was about to become a part of her family for long moments before she said, "I think it's about time."

        Both men looked at each other in surprise and then back at her.  "You're fine with this?" Kevin asked.

        "Of course I am," she said.  "Even if I didn't like you Doc- which I do immensely- I would never try to make my dad choose between me and being happy.  I love him.  I WANT him to be happy, and if you're the person to do that, then that's just a bonus."  She grinned wickedly, "So when's the wedding?"

        "We were thinking about going down to the courthouse this Saturday and just doing a civil ceremony," her father said.

        "You do that, and if Aunt Kim doesn't skin you alive, I will," she told both men calmly.

        "We don't want a big fuss," Kevin said.

        She gave him her best smile, "Too bad.  You're going to get one."  Looking back over at her father, "I think this Saturday wouldn't be a good idea.  It's the annual picnic and I don't think scheduling it to conflict with that would be a good idea.  I think you need to find another date.  Maybe the weekend after next."  She smiled, "I need time to find a new dress, we need to hire caterers, and you two need get fitted for new tuxedos, plus I'm sure Uncle Zack and Uncle Adam will need to be refitted as well."  Her voice became implacable, "I went to all the trouble of getting you two together.  You OWE me a wedding."

        Jason looked over at his lover, "When did this get out of hand?"

        Kevin smiled back, "I think the second we told her we were getting married."

        "Do you mind delaying it for two weeks?"  Jason asked.

        Kevin smiled back at him, "I told you name the date.  Two weeks is fine by me."

        Jason nodded to his future spouse and then turned on his daughter eyes flashing.  "Okay Trini Anne Cranston-Scott, you get your way about the wedding.  However, you will say_ nothing _to _anyone_ about this- and that includes Jay."  Looking over at Kevin and then back to her he told her, "We want to break the news in our own way."

        Trini gave her father her best _Daddy's Girl_ smile, "Yes sir."

        Before Jason could say anything else, the phone rang.  Jason stood, kissed his daughter on the forehead and said quietly, "Good girl."  Then he turned and picked up the phone.  "Scott-Cranston Residence."

        "Jase," Tommy's voice said, "it's me Tommy."

        Jason felt stomach drop.  He and Tommy hadn't been getting along lately.  He realized what the cause was, but really had no idea of how to handle it.  "What's up Tom?"

        "Look," Tommy said.  "I've been acting like an ass.  Zack says that you are thinking about not coming to the picnic on Saturday because of the way I've been treating Dr. Carstonn.  I'm sorry.  I would really like to see you there."  There was a pause before Tommy added, "Both of you."

        "We need to talk about this Bro," Jason said.  "This can't keep up."  Looking over at Trini and remembering what he'd discovered last night, "If for no other reason than for the kids."

        "I agree.  Maybe we can talk after the picnic?" Tommy asked.

        Jason smiled, "Sure."

        "Then you'll, both be there?" Tommy asked.

        "I'd say with bells on, but you'd probably reach through the phone and strangle me, so I'll just say we'll be there."

        Jase could hear the tone of relief in his friend's voice, "I'm glad."

        "I'll see you at the park Saturday then," Jason told him.

        "Good, I'll talk to you then," Tommy said.

        Jason hung up the phone and looked over at Kevin, "Looks like you're getting your wish."  Kevin gave him a questioning look.  He looked over at his daughter.  He knew that it hadn't escaped her notice that Jay's father and he had been arguing.  Fortunately, his daughter had the good sense to stay out of it.  Turning back to Kevin he said, "That was Tommy.  He wanted to make sure that we BOTH would be at he picnic on Saturday.  He wants to talk."

        Kevin simply nodded his head and turned back to the brochures on the table.  In a tone that for just a moment blurred the line between him and Billy he said, "That's good."


	14. The Picnic

          It was one of those beautiful California Saturdays.  The sun was shining and the temperature was hovering in the mid seventies.  Tommy Oliver was whistling to himself cheerfully as he and Adam manned the grill.  Steaks, hamburgers, and chicken were the watchwords for the day, and a single salmon steak was on the top grill for Trini Taylor.  "So did you make that phone call?" Adam asked quietly.

          Tommy nodded.  "Yeah.  Jase said that he and Dr. Carstonn were coming."

          "Good," Adam replied.  Looking around he asked, "I wonder what's keeping them?"

          Tommy shrugged, "I don't know.  They've even got Trini Anne with them so I suspect they won't be long."

          "Trini told me last night that they had something to take care of over at Mr. Ko's Garden in Stone Canyon," Jay told his father and adopted uncle.

          Both men looked at each other and then back to the boy. "Did she say what it was about?" Adam asked.

          Jay shook his head, "No sir.  Just that they had to go there first."  Jay smiled and headed off toward where Aiden and Alex were sitting on a park bench talking quietly.  Tommy noted that it was the same bench around which he and his friends used to congregate.  The same bench he and Jase had come to thirteen years ago right after Billy died.

          Tommy watched them as they gathered and smiled.  He was glad his son had as good friends as he'd had at that age.  At least they didn't have to worry about dealing with giant monsters attacking the city.  There was another Ranger Team in place now, the Geo-Force Rangers, and they seemed to handle most of the monster attacks pretty well. "Hey Bro," Jason's voice startled him out of his reverie.

          Turning, he saw Jase and Kevin standing behind him, each carrying a large cooler.  "Hey yourself."  He nodded to Dr. Carstonn and made it a point to be polite, friendly even, "Hiya Doc."  Turning back to Jason he said, "I see you brought the drinks."  Grinning wickedly he peaked under the lid of the cooler Jason was carrying and quickly added, "Please tell me you got some of your mom's crab salad in there."

          Tommy noticed his oldest friend visibly relax at the interplay between him and his lover.  _I hadn't realized this was causing so much stress with Jase,_ he thought to himself.  "Yeah, I've got two tubs of it," Jason told him.  "Mom gave Kev, the recipe and he does a passable imitation of it."

          "Hey," the man at his side protested, "It's better than passable."

          Adam came to Jason's rescue, "Maybe so Kevin, but nobody can ever make it like Jase's mom makes it." He winked at his colleague, "At least in Jase's eyes."

          "Ah," the doctor said.  "In that case I'll have to be content with only passable."  The look he gave Jason was one of affectionate annoyance.

          "So what held you guys up in Stone Canyon?" Tommy asked.  "What's going on at Mr. Ko's Garden?"

          Jason and the doctor exchanged glances, and then Jase smiled back at Tommy.  "Tell you what Tom.  Why don't you turn the grill over to Kevin and Adam and you and I take a walk.  I've got a couple of things I want to talk to you about."

          "Sure," Tommy gave him a sheepish look.  He remembered Jason once telling him about his football coach.  Anytime the man would tell one of his players, _Let's take a walk_, it usually meant the player was in for either a chewing out or bad news.  "Just how much trouble am I in?" he asked playfully.

          Tommy watched as Jason's gaze followed his daughter as she joined the other four teens.  By now they were all lounging around on the table like he and his friends did when they were kids.  He chuckled quietly to himself- even the old colors were all there.  Jay was in his favorite blue tank top, Mina was wearing pink shorts, Aiden was wearing a black tank and shorts, his twin Alex was in a matching yellow outfit, and Trini Anne was wearing a bright red blouse and a white skirt.  He couldn't help but notice when she came up to stand awfully close to Jay. He could see the look in his son's eyes that spoke volumes about how his feelings had changed in the last few years.  Looking back at Jason, he said, "Oh."

          Jason smiled and turned back to him, "You just now noticing that?"  He shrugged, "I've had it figured out for a while now."  Smiling he said, "Take a closer look."

          Tommy did.  He couldn't help but feel a sense of dejevu at the sight of all of them.  "They're just missing green aren't they?"

          "Or white," Jason added taking him by the arm.  "Come walk with me."

          Tommy didn't protest as his best friend led him along the path beside the lake.  After long minutes he asked, "Is what I saw between Trini Anne and Jay what you want to talk about?"

          Jason smiled at him, "Among about two other things."

          "You upset?" Tommy asked. He hated the distance that had grown between he and Jason over the past two years.  There had been a time when he wouldn't have had to ask, he would have known how Jason was feeling.

          "Actually, right now I'm very happy," Jason said.

          "About Jay and Trini Anne?" Tommy asked.

          Jase shook his head, "No, yes." He shrugged and added, "Jay's a good kid, and I trust Trini Anne.  If they develop anything between them, I couldn't ask for better son-in-law material."  He grinned at Tommy, "Besides, Red and Blue Rangers kind of go together."

          "Huh?" Tommy asked.

          Jason smiled, "I was cleaning up after dinner last night when I heard an old familiar tune in the next room." He grinned like a Cheshire Cat and added, "One that we used to hear a lot, and usually at the most inconvenient times.  Seconds later, Trini came in and said she had to drop some chemistry notes off to Jay, and disappeared out the back door."

          Tommy shook his head, "Jay wasn't at home last night.  He suddenly forgot his jacket in the park and had to go look for it."

          "I would have been surprised if he was."  Jason smiled, "You always were a little slow on the uptake Bro.  Haven't you noticed that Jay's been wearing a lot, I mean a LOT of blue lately?"

          Tommy thought about what Jason was saying.  "You're telling me that OUR kids are the new Geo-Force Rangers?"

          Jason nodded, "That's what it's starting to look like."

          Tommy sighed and leaned against a railing that led up to a wooden dock.  "And Jay's the Sapphire Blue Ranger?"  

Jason nodded, "Trini's Ruby Red, Aiden is Amber Yellow, Alex is Black Onyx, and Mina is Pink Quartz."

Tommy smiled and said, "It does sort of make sense, in a twisted Ranger sort of way." 

          "I guess we get to find out how our parents felt," Jason told him.

          "Difference is, we know, they didn't," Tommy said.

          "I know.  I don't know if that'll make it harder or easier."

          Tommy smiled and said, "Probably a little bit of both. We'll at least understand why they suddenly disappear, but since we know where they're going, we'll probably worry more."  Jason smiled, but Tommy could see worry still in his eyes, "What is it Jase?"

          Jason took a deep breath and looked into Tommy's eyes, "I need to ask you a favor."

          "Anything Bro," Tommy said and was surprised to realize that he really meant it.  "Name it."

          Jason smiled, "Don't be too quick to volunteer.  You may not like it."

          Tommy repeated, "What is it Jase?"

          Jason sighed, looked Tommy in the eye and said, "Look we haven't told anyone else yet.  You're the first.  But I was wondering if you would be my best man."          Tommy took a minute to consider his friend's question before replying.  Jason continued, "I know you're not happy with me and Kevin, but he makes me happy.  If you feel uncomfortable with this let me know, and I'll ask Zack.  I just thought you deserved first shot at it.  After all, you are my best Bro."

          "Jason I can't begin to describe how honored you make me feel by asking.  That you still think of me as your Best Bro after all that's happened."  Again Tommy was surprised to realize that he really felt that way.  If Kevin made Jase happy, then maybe it was time for him to back off, time for him to simply accept the Doctor and get over it.  "Of course I'll be your best man."

          Tommy couldn't believe the relief and gratitude that lit up Jason's face.  All the former Red Ranger said was, "Thanks man.  You don't know how much that means to me."

          Tommy simply nodded as the two headed back toward the picnic.

~*~

          "Guys you won't believe what I found out last night," Trini told her friends as she leaned back against Jay.  She smiled quietly to herself when the Blue Ranger put his arms around her unconsciously.  He may not realize it yet, and she got the feeling that he didn't, but the two had just about settled into a couple.  Too bad there was trouble boiling between Alex and Mina over Aiden. Hopefully they would work it out without it becoming too disruptive to the team.  Trini was a firm believer in the idea that the team needed a little disruption- to keep them on their toes- but she didn't want to see any hard feelings develop.  

          "What?" Alex asked watching Aiden and Mina under lidded eyes.

          Trini looked around to make sure none of the adults could hear them.  "Oh nothing," she said innocently in her best air headed imitation of Aunt Kim.  Looking down at her fingernails she said aloofly, "Just the identities of the FIRST Ranger team."

          "What? Did Tabitha tell you?" Mina asked.

          Trini shook her head. "No. I found out all on my lonesome."

          "Spit it out girl," Mina demanded.  "Who?"

          "You sure you want to know?" Trini asked trying to stretch the suspension.

          "Yes!" Aiden and Alex said in unison.  Trini could have sworn she saw Alex stick his tongue out at Mina as if to remind her that there were still some things she couldn't share with his brother.

          "Well, let's just say that there're at least three Rangers in all our families."

          "What ARE you talking about Trini?" Jay asked.

          She smiled, "I mean that your dad and mom were Rangers; both my dads were rangers, and so were both the twins parents as well as Mina's parents."

          "But there were only five members of that team," Alex said.

          "How could all of our parents have been Rangers?" Aiden finished.

          Trini shrugged, "I'm not sure.  Maybe they each held the colors at different times. From the best I can tell, my dads were the first Red and Blue Rangers.  Jay's mom and Dad were Pink and Green, Mina's folks were the first Yellow and Black Rangers and Uncle Adam and Aunt Kat were also Black and Pink Rangers.  Ever notice the pictures on Jay's mantel?  All of our parents are wearing the appropriate colors."

          "That's not a lot to go on, Trini." Jay pointed out.  "I mean so far it's just speculation."

          Trini turned and smiled at her boyfriend.  "You know me better than that.  I overheard Dad and Kevin talking last night.  He was talking about his Rangering days with Mr. Oliver, and the rest.  Even Uncle Rocky was a Ranger."

          "Now that's just going too far," Mina said.  "I could almost buy the others, but Uncle Rocky is too serious to ever be a Ranger."

          "Well he was.  He was part of the team when Daddy got hurt."

          "Huh?" Aiden and Alex said in unison.  

          "It always confuses us…" Alex began

          "…when you talk about your fathers that way.  Which one…" Aiden continued.

          "…got hurt and how?"  Alex finished.

          Trini sighed, "My daddy- Billy.  He got hurt. That caused some kind of rift in the Rangers.  Anyway, Dad said that Uncle Rocky had gone to visit Daddy in the hospital."

          "Your father told this to Kevin why?" Mina asked.

          Suddenly Trini realized just how much she was about to give away.  She blushed deeply, "I'm not supposed to say."

          "But you're going to, right." Jay suggested.

          Trini shook her head in denial.  "Nope, I've been told that if I open my mouth before they do about what they told me last night then Kevin will put my appendix back inside me."

~*~

          Kat, Trini, and Kim split their time between watching the children talk quietly under the tree and Tommy and Jase as they walked back toward the group.  All three women realized that they were holding their breath, waiting to see what happened between the former Green and Red Rangers.  At least they were talking, a good sign, and Jason was carrying himself like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

          "So do you think those two lunkheads have worked out their problems?" Trini asked.

          Kim snorted.  "I realize Tommy is my husband and I DO love him, but this rift was all of his own making.  He's just got to realize that Jase is going to have someone in his life, and it's not Tommy's job to approve or disapprove of him."

          "Try to convince Tommy of that," Kat Park told her.  "He's always been very protective of his friends."

          "Except for Billy," Trini said so quietly as to almost be missed.  The other women simply nodded in agreement.

          "So what do you guys think of Dr. Carstonn," Kim asked.  Of all Jase's friends, she'd had the least opportunity to spend time with Jason and Kevin.  She realized it was primarily out of respect for Tommy's discomfort with the man, so she needed the other ladies' input.

          Trini and Kat exchanged glances and then looked at Kim.  "You haven't spent that much time around him have you?" Kat asked.

          Kim shook her head, "No.  Why do you ask?"

          Kat smiled, "Because if you did, you might understand why we think this whole thing between them is such a good idea."

          "Why do I get the feeling I'm being left out of the loop again," Kim asked only slightly hurt.

          Trini put her hand on Kim's shoulder. "You're only left out because you don't spend any time with Jase and Kevin as a couple.  It took me a while to figure it out, and frankly Adam had to explain it to me."

          "Explain what?" Kim asked.

          Again, her friends exchanged glances before Kat said. "If that means what I think it means," she pointed toward Tommy and Jason walking back together talking quietly, "then it won't take you long to figure it out yourself."  She shook her head, "It's really not our secret to tell."

          Kim just nodded knowing that she'd get nothing more out of them on the subject.

~*~   

          Adam watched as Zack stood watch over the grill like mother hen over her chicks.  More than once he worried for his and Kevin's fingers when they strayed too near the object of the first Black Ranger's affections.  Finally, he looked over at Kevin and said, "Hey, why don't you help me get the rest of the supplies out of the SUV," he glanced back at Zack, "that way we don't have risk life and limb around Samurai Fry Cook here."

          Kevin smiled, "Sure," and followed him toward the car.

          Once they were out of earshot, Adam looked over at the man who'd become a part of Jason's and by extension his life over the past two years.  "Got a question for you, Kev," he said casually. 

          The doctor smiled over at him, "Shoot."

          Adam felt himself blush at Kevin's choice of words. Deciding to simply lay the facts on the table, he said simply "Exactly how did you escape after we all shot you back in high school."  

          The other man suddenly tensed as if he was about to go in fight or flight mode.  There was a wild and frightened look in his eye as he answered nervously, "What are you talking about?"

          Adam just continued in an implacable tone, "After we figured out which one of you was the clone and shot you, how did you escape?"

          "I don't know what you're talking about," the Doctor said evenly.

          Adam stopped and turned so he was facing the man, "Look Kevin, it doesn't matter to me or most of the rest of the team.  Some of us figured it out about a year ago.  You look just a little too much like Billy.  You have his middle name and your last name is an anagram of his- just a few too many coincidences.  For a while I thought that maybe you were him, but then I remembered the clone incident."  He shrugged, "You don't have to answer, I was just curious."

          Kevin sighed.  "And you just wanted to me to know that you knew?" he asked.

          Adam nodded and added, "And to find out if Jason knows."

          Kevin smiled, "Jason knows.  I told him the first night we went on a date."

          "Cool," was Adam's only reply.

          ~*~

          All in all, Kim had to admit that the picnic this year had been a very big success.  She was glad to finally have Jase and her husband burying the hatchet.  Tom had been the epitome of a gentlemen when it came to dealing with Kevin and for once she felt things were going right with the Rangers. Now if she could just get the whole conversation with Kat and Trini figured out.

          So intent was she on trying to figure that one out, she missed Jason rising at the table where all the adults were sitting.  Looking around nervously, he cleared his throat.  "Could I have everyone's attention please," he said.  Kim noted the wink he and Trini Anne shared between them as everyone turned to face Jason.

          "What's up Uncle Jase?" Aiden asked.

          Jason smiled, "If I could get everyone's attention, I'd tell you kiddo."

          A ripple of laughter traveled around the two tables as the Rangers, both former and present turned to face Jason. "I realize this is sudden, and all, and really short notice, but Kevin and I would be very honored if you all would join us two weeks from today at Mr. Ko's Garden."  He looked down at Kevin. "We're having our Commitment Ceremony."

          A general cheer went up around the tables.  Kim couldn't help but notice the tears of joy that were forming in Trini Anne's eyes.  Behind her, Aiden and Alex were exchanging high-fives and Mina was holding out her hand to Jay and saying, "Pay up."

          Before anyone else could say anything a sudden chime went off from the teens' table. "doo, doot, doo, tu doo tu."  Kim noted that every adult checked their wrists while all the children looked down at the rings they were wearing.

          "Uh…, uh…," Jay looked around.  "Can you guys give me a hand really quick with something… , … uh… at Trini's Jeep?"

          "Just go Jay." Kim said. "And be careful."

          Jay looked at his mom, "You know?"

          "Of course we know," Kat said.  "Just go, and like Kim said, be careful."

          The five teens suddenly disappeared in five streams of multi-colored light.  Tommy just winked over at Jason and said, "I see what you mean."


	15. ISSUE: 15: TFAW

Author's Note:

Okay, I'm going to go and hide now.  I've been planning this ending now for a few months.  I would mention who helped me come up with it, but I'm afraid they might get hunted down too.  This is the last chapter, but I am planning an epilogue.

Danny

The last two weeks had been a whirlwind of activity for Trini Anne.  Aunts Kim, Trini, and Kat had stepped in took over the plans for the upcoming Commitment Ceremony at Mr. Ko's Garden.  She suddenly found herself getting fitted for a new dress, getting her hair done, and helping with the catering plans for the ceremony.  She was exhausted by the time Friday rolled around.  Of course it hadn't helped that Lolth hadn't let up with her attacks on the surface.  It seemed that every day had a new monster or a squad of her drow warriors attacking the city.  

Even Mr. Oliver finally seemed to be getting into the spirit of things, and had taken her dad out for dinner.  She was glad to see that they were reconnecting.  She'd missed the light in her father's eyes whenever Mr. Oliver was around.  She wasn't sure what had been said between them, but she was glad that Jay's dad was finally accepting Kevin.

"Earth to Trini?" Jay said beside her with a grin.  The two Rangers had finally found a few minutes of peace and quiet together in the park- away from the pressures of the team, school and of being Rangers.  Trini turned to face him.  That was another aspect of her life that was starting to get hectic.  They weren't exactly dating yet, Jay was still only 15, but it had become increasingly obvious that there was more than just a best friends situation developing between them. She couldn't help but get lost in those deep chocolate brown eyes.  

"Huh?" she asked.

"I was wondering if you could get free for a few hours tonight?"

She gave him a confused look, "What for?" she aked.

"I was uh… uh… kinda' thinkin' that you might want to go to the movies and maybe dinner."

She smiled back at him, "What you can't wait until after I get my dad married off?"

"Well, he and Dr. Carstonn ARE going on their honeymoon, and you'll be staying with the Taylors, and I don't think Uncle Zack would let you out by yourself while you're staying with him."

"Are you asking me for a date Jay?" she blushed and looked down.

She could see the panic in his eyes, "Uh… do you want me to?"

"Do you want to?" she asked softly feeling the tips of her ears begin to burn.

Looking up she saw Jay nod.  He took a deep breath and added, "Yeah, I do."  Then his eyes shining with hope, he asked, "Do you?"

She smiled back at him.  "You bet."  _Damn it! If he's not going to take the initiative, I guess I'll have to._  She leaned in quickly and brushed her lips against his.  It was just a tentative kiss, barely a brush, but it sent chills down her spine that spread out from its base warming her entire being.  She felt a shudder run through Jay as she pulled back realizing that one of them was moaning softly. She was surprised when she realized it was her.  Suddenly she felt his hand reach up and stroke the back of her head pulling her back down into a more intense kiss. 

After a few moments she pulled away and felt her world swim around her as she tried to clear her head.  That was the most fantastic, intense feeling she'd ever felt in her life.  If that was what just kissing was like she suspected that other things just might kill her.  _But what a way to go!_ "I think that's probably enough for right now," she said suddenly feeling shy and excited at the same time.  Jay simply nodded as she added, "I'll pick you up around nine then?"

He nodded.  "Sure. We can have dinner at Casa DeAngelos," he smiled find brightly.  

"Sounds good to me," she still felt flushed as she turned toward where they'd parked the Jeep.

~*~

          Jay sat quietly next to his mother in the front row of chairs at Mr. Ko's 

Garden while one of the most important men in his life exchanged vows with someone it was obvious he cared about deeply.  He had trouble keeping his thoughts on what was going on in the ceremony because his mind kept drifting back to yesterday afternoon in the park and then later last night on his front porch.  He shifted his weight to relieve the discomfort that such thoughts caused in the front of his slacks.  As he was coming out of his reverie he suddenly realized that his Uncle Jason and Kevin were sharing a brief kiss.  With a sense of disappointment, he realized that he'd been so caught up in his pleasant memories that he'd missed most of the vows- something Trini Anne told him that Jason and Kevin had written themselves.

          Releasing his spouse, Uncle Jason turned to the guests- mainly family and a few friends from the Dojo and said, "We would be honored if you folks would join us for some refreshments over there."  The big burly man indicated a small pavilion over a table that groaned with the weight of food.

          Jay smiled as the newly married couple dressed in matching black suits walked hand in hand toward the table.  He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Aiden standing there.  "You two really pulled it off," the Black Ranger said to him.

          "Pulled what off?" he asked innocently.

          "Trini Anne's little campaign to get those two together," Aiden said.  Then winking at him, he quickly added, "'Speaking of our fearless leader, I understand the two of you were seen at Casa DeAngelos last night.  Quite late I might add."

          "Who told you?" Jay asked feeling he blood rise in his face.

          "'Mina," he answered. "She and Uncle Zack were coming back from a late night trip to IHOP and they saw you."

          "Busted," Jay said.  

          "So, you two dating?" Aiden asked.  Jay nodded.  The young Asian American smiled and said, "Good." Then looking around, "Now we just need to find someone to aim at Alex."

          "You're just wanting him off your back about Mina," Jay accused.  What had been going on between the twins and Mina hadn't escaped his notice. 

          "Wouldn't you?" he asked.  "I mean, it's starting to get annoying."  Aiden smiled, "The boy needs a girlfriend."

          Jay looked back over at his shoulder toward his Uncle Jay and Kevin, grinned and turned back to Aiden and said, "Or a boyfriend."  He smiled as Aiden shuddered.  Jay knew enough about genetics to know that if Aiden was straight then so would be Alex.  "Just kidding Bro."

          "Don't kid about that kind of thing, Jay," the Black Ranger said.

          "Why not?" Jay asked.  "You ashamed of Uncle Jase and Kevin?"

          Aiden shook his head, "No, I'm not." He looked off into the distance for a moment.  "It's just not what I'm about."

          Jay nodded his head, "Okay man."  Looking around, "Still you're right.  We need to find your brother someone to occupy his time."

          Suddenly an explosion rocked the ground around them.  Jay watched in horror as the table where the guests were lining up for food exploded into a thousand shards of wood, metal, and plastic.  Looking around, he saw the jet skinned forms of Lolth's drow warriors coalesce from shadowy shaped spiders that appeared among the guests. 

          Their long white hair flowing behind them, the drow drew their swords and charged the guests.  Jay had had enough experience with these guys to know exactly how dangerous those swords were.  He'd seen one cut neatly through a lamppost with a single stroke.  Looking around, he saw Trini Anne duck a sword stroke to her head, grab the offending drow by the wrist and then repeatedly round-house kick him in the ribs.  The drow crumpled to the ground, blood spurting from his mouth just before he disappeared.

~*~

          Tommy watched in horror as his best friend's wedding suddenly became a battlefield.  Just like old times he stepped back into a defensive stance, with the rest of the former Rangers.  With surprise he realized that standing next to him was of all people, Dr. Carstonn.  He had the look of someone who knew how to go about doing some serious damage. 

 Looking over to where the kids were trying to find a way to avoid revealing their identities, but not leave the guests undefended, he locked eyes with Trini Anne.  Smiling, she briefly nodded in his direction and pulled the other Rangers behind a hedge.

Seconds later, the new GeoForce Rangers came leaping over the hedge, screaming like banshees.  Tommy suddenly felt himself tackled from behind as one of the drow blades neatly took off the top two inches of his hair.  Rolling to a stop, he found himself being pulled to his feet by Dr. Carstonn.  The man grinned at him and turned back to face the oncoming drow. In a voice that sent chills down his spine the man said, "Be careful Tommy.  I don't think Kimberly wants you to cut your hair that close again."

As Kevin backflipped across the lawn with a limberness no man his age who'd never held the Power should be able to muster, something inside Tommy clicked.  He recognized those moves he knew that gymnastic routine.  Only one man he'd ever known was that good at combining karate with gymnastics.  He watched in awe as Kevin came out of back aerial into a flying kick to the side of the head of a drow attacking Kimberly.

The drow went down with thud as the ground began to shake.  Tommy found himself fighting to maintain his feet as the earth under the table erupted and centaurid man-spider about the size of a Clydesdale came clambering out of a hole there.  He had four arms, each holding wickedly serrated blades.

"Riss!" the Red Ranger yelled.  "Not here!  Not today!" she screamed drawing her sword and charging the four-armed creature. Tommy noticed that almost immediately the Blue Ranger also closed to back her up.

"Lolth chooses the time and place of her attacks Red Ranger, and she chooses now," the creature bellowed in a voice that reminded Tommy of Goldar.  With lightning speed, Riss struck out at both Rangers.  Tommy was surprised at the speed of his son and Trini Anne.  All the blows were parried, and the creature was slowly driven back, as the former Rangers dealt with the drow warriors.  

Before long, Tommy lost track of what the Rangers were doing, as he found himself in the fight of his life.  These drow weren't the mindless drones that he'd faced in the forms of putties, tengas, and cogs.  Instead they were seasoned warriors who could think and adapt.  Half the time he felt like he was fighting one of the other Rangers.  

"How're we doing, Bro?" Jason asked suddenly at his side.

"Tommy grinned. "These guys are tough," he replied as he ducked another sword stroke and kicked one of the drow in the ribs.  

"I noticed," Jason replied as he blocked a kick and flipped the attacker backwards into a comrade and twisted to get out of the way of another attack.  

Tommy grinned and asked, "Since when does your new husband fight like a meaner version of Billy?" he asked.  Looking over at Jason, he realized in horror that the former Ranger leader was unaware of an attack coming at him from behind. 

"Since he…"

The sword stroke was a perfect thrust, and Tommy knew there was nothing he could do to save his friend.  Try as he might, he knew that there was no way he could cover the distance in time. "Jase!  Look out!" Tommy yelled.

A sudden flash of blue fire appeared between Jason and the monofilament blade closing in on him.  The fire dissipated to leave Kevin to stop the attack.  Tommy heard the sickening sound of the blade sliding through flesh and bone as Jason suddenly stiffened.  Tommy looked down in disbelief at the black blade emerging from his friend's chest. The sword stroke had passed clean through Kevin to strike at Jason as well. A wave of red and white fire suddenly washed across the former Ranger.  With a primordial scream, he attacked the drow warriors between him and Jason. 

Tommy didn't remember when the fight ended.  For the rest of his life he could only remember the white and red rage that overtook him.  His next memory was kneeling beside the bodies of his best Bro and his new spouse.  Jason's midnight eyes looking up at him as the light slowly faded from them.  A small rivulet of blood trickled down from the corner of Jason's mouth.  "Did we stop them Bro?" Jason asked.

Tommy nodded, "Yeah, we stopped them."

Jason smiled and coughed again, more blood pouring from his mouth.  "Good.  Trini and Jay?" he asked.

"They're fighting Riss now," Tommy told him as he was joined by the other former Rangers. "Be still.  Don't waste your strength."

Tommy saw Jason smile and then turn to Kevin.  Tommy knew that Jason was just realizing what had happened.; that Kevin had hurled himself between Jason and the blow in a vain attempt to save him, giving his life in an attempt to repay all those years of his watching out for Billy.  "Kevin?" he asked.

To Tommy's surprise, Kevin slowly pushed himself up, ignoring the gaping hole in his chest, and the bright red blood pouring from it.  "I'm here Jase," he said weakly.

Jason turned to face the blond, and a reached out to touch his face gently.  Looking down at the hole in Kevin's chest he gave the man a confused look.  "Why?"

Kevin pulled himself over to face Jason and said quietly, "Because I love you."

"Love you too…," Jason shook his head and touched the blood on Kevin's coat.  "You're not healing…" another coughing fit ended whatever he was going to say.

Kevin pulled Jason to him and said softly, his voice fading fast.  "I tried to tell you last week.  I'm human now."

Jason simply smiled up at his spouse as the light faded from his eyes forever, "You always were."

As the big man went limp in Kevin's arms, Tommy heard the wail of sirens in the distance.  Turning back from the sound of the emergency vehicles, Tommy found that Kevin had slumped over Jase's body, joining him in death. 

"Daddy!" Trini Anne's voice came from across the Garden. 


	16. Epilogue

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I will admit that I was inspired for this ending (all right I shameless stole it) from part of the plot of "Another Shade of Blue".   As for the ending, you can assume that the teleportation had a similar effect or not as to your choosing.  As for me, I'm finished with this particular angst fest.  I'm going to work on Ties That Run Deep, and a pseudo-sequel to Rap's True Lies. (By psuedo-sequel, I'm going to use the events in that story as the basis for an AU to it with Billy researching the ruins on Phaedos.  And yes, I have her permission.)

          Jay was afraid, more afraid than he'd ever been in his life.  It wasn't the heart pounding fear he experienced when he fought one of Lolth's monsters as the Blue Ranger, it was a deep down bone numbing dread that came with the knowledge that he was about to lose his best friend, the girl he wanted to marry.  The worst part about it, was that he could see it coming but had no idea how to stop it.

          Finally, he approached the one person in the world he felt might be able to help- the person who'd always been there for him. When all else failed, he knew a Ranger could always turn to his mother for guidance.  It had been about three weeks since the funeral for Uncle Jase and Dr. Carstonn.  In that time, the Rangers' lives had been turned upside down.  

          Jay remembered the day of the fight.  He remembered looking over to see his Uncle Jason and the Doctor lying in a spreading pool of blood.  Most of all he remembered Trini Anne's scream and then the terrible force that seemed to overcome the Red Ranger.  She'd cut a swath so wide through Lolth's forces that the Spider Queen hadn't been able to pull Ris out of the fight before Trini Anne completely destroyed him.   

Later he remembered the double funeral.  He was surprised at how many people turned out for it.  He hadn't realized just how much his Uncle had contributed to the community.  He remembered being surprised at just how many people's lives Dr. Carstonn had touched as well.  Of course he'd been floored to see the Ranger's Mentor Tabitha at the funeral, but not quite as floored as his father had been.  They obviously recognized each other, but for some reason had only acknowledged each other with a single respectful nod.

He'd fought his own emotions during that funeral.  He fought to be strong for the team, for his Dad, and for Trini Anne.  He was proud that he'd been able to hold up until he got home where he could lock himself in his room and cry for his loss.  He knew he wasn't fooling anyone, but he also knew that his mom and his dad would let him have his little obfuscation, because it was the kind of thing you did for your kids.

Things had really gotten weird in the following weeks, not the least of which was Trini Anne's moving in.  He remembered hearing from time to time that his mom and dad were her godparents, but had never thought anything about it.  Nobody ever expected them to really have to step in, to actually have to take care of her.  But it had happened.  Uncle Jase was dead, and Trini Anne's grandmother just wasn't in good enough health to be legally responsible for her.  So, without a thought, his dad and mom did what they'd promised to do on the day he was born.  They took care of their friends' daughter, because it was what was right.

He'd noticed too that Uncle Jase's death had drawn Trini Anne and his Dad closer together.  What had always been a somewhat distant or formal relationship between the two had closed.  It was as if by connecting with each other, they were somehow helping one another cope.  Jay wasn't complaining.  He had always felt that his dad was giving Trini Anne a cold shoulder, but now he was starting to feel left out.  And Trini wasn't herself any more.  

In place of the vibrant young woman with whom he was beginning to fall in love, there was a hardness to her now that he had never seen before.   It was as if the anger inside her from that day at Mr. Ko's Garden had yet to subside but was instead building.  Jay was afraid for what would happen when it finally came to a boil.  

That was the reason he was now here, standing outside his mom's sewing room.  Knocking lightly he stuck his head in and asked, "Mom, can I talk to you?"

His mom looked up from where she was sitting by the window watching the squirrels in the back yard and smiled. "Sure Jay, come on in."  Jay smiled and went in and sat in the chair next to hers, "What's on your mind?"

"Dad and Trini," he answered without hesitation.

The changes in her husband had not escaped Kimberly.  She knew he was doing his own grieving.  In many ways he was grieving as much for himself as for Jason.  He was grieving for all those times lost, times he could have spent with his friend, but didn't.  She knew he was making a conscious effort to get closer to Jase's daughter, to help her deal with being completely orphaned.  

"You mean how much time they're spending together?" she asked.

Jay nodded, "Uh huh."  

Kim smiled, "I wouldn't worry about it Jay.  Your dad is just trying to help Trini understand that there are still people who lover her.  That she' s not as alone in the world as she might think."  Kim knew that was going to be difficult. In all of her family, she only had two members left- both grandparents.  Jason's mom was getting on in years, and although she loved the girl dearly, she just wasn't in the physical health to watch after a sixteen year old girl.  Billy's father on the other hand would have nothing to do with her, having disowned his son long ago.  In his own way, he was more alone than she was.

"I'm not so much worried about the time they spend together as how they seem to be acting."

Kim smiled again, "How's that?"

Jay shook his head and tried to put his feelings into words, "I don't know, darker I guess would be it, but not quite.  Maybe colder, just different, as if something inside them has died."

Kim gave him a long look before answering.  She'd seen it too, but was hoping that Jay hadn't noticed.  Jase's death had hit them all hard.  It was as if the strength of their group had died.   "I think they're just trying to deal with the anger and hurt they feel over Jason's death.  Give them some time, they'll come around."  Kim hid her own worries underneath a veneer of hope and optimism- it was all she had.

"But Trini's been running herself ragged.  She's barely eating, she's always either with Dad, or doing homework, or in the labs at the Command Center.  I  checked the log in the high energy lab.  It showed that Trini checked in sometime Friday afternoon and still hasn't checked out yet."

Kim smiled at him, "I know son.  I wouldn't worry too much about it.  She needs some time to think, to get her own head on straight.  Her father used to do the same thing when something had him upset."

"Somehow I just don't see Uncle Jase in a lab," Jay said, and then mentally kicking himself for not realizing his mistake.  "Oh you mean, Billy."

Kim chuckled and nodded, "Uh huh.  Jase would always go to the Youth Center and work out whenever something was bothering him with Zack.  Billy would lock himself in the lab at the Command Center until he got it worked out.  Of course that's what got him hurt in the first place."

"So I shouldn't worry that Trini is upset and is playing around with enough firepower to level a city?" he smiled.

"You sure you're not bucking for a color change kiddo?" she asked. "You're starting to think like a Red Ranger."

Jay just smiled, "No, I'll leave the leadership to Trini.  She's better at it than I am."

          Kim chuckled at him hand smiled, "Why don't you go see if you can pry her out of that lab.  Take her to dinner or something."

          Jay smiled, "Good idea."  He got up to leave and then stopped, "And thanks Mom.  I knew I could count on you."

          "I didn't do anything.  You did all the work."

          He just laughed, knowing better than to argue with her.  "Sure Mom."

~*~

          Trini checked her readouts one final time.  Everything was where they were supposed to be.  Lolth was going to pay for what she had done.  Trini Anne was going to see to that personally.

          "Alpha Nine?" she asked the small robot making adjustments in the corner.  "Do you have the coordinates programmed into the teleportation grid?"

          "Yes," the small robot answered.  "I still don't understand why you're wanting to use the old Morphin' Teleportation Grid?"

          Trini just smiled, "Because Lolth will never expect me to use it when we have access to the Quantum Shuntgates developed by Cestro of Aquitar and my father."

          "But what are you going to do?" the little robot asked.

          "I'm going to make sure that Lolth never hurts another person on Earth."

          "How?" the little robot asked.

          She just smiled, "I was digging through some of my dad's old disks about a week ago.  I came across some scans he did when he was a Ranger- scans that revealed a major violation in the SALT II Treaty."

          "I don't understand," Alpha Nine replied.

          "That's okay, Alpha.  You will."  She picked up her morpher and strapped it to he wrist.  "Just give me five seconds and activate the teleporter."

          "Very well, Trini Anne."

          "And Alpha?"

          "Yes?"

          "Don't forget to tell Jay I'm sorry."

          "I won't," the little robot replied as the teleporter took her.

          Seconds later she appeared directly in the court of the Spider Queen, a small cylindrical object about the size of a file fire hydrant at her side.  She only had seconds to act if she was going to carry out this plan.  By the time Lolth or any of her minions realized she was there she was already kneeling next to the illegal neutron bomb she'd taken from the Russians.  

Looking up for an instant Trini saw the look of surprise on the Spider Queen's face at seeing her suddenly appear in the heart of her stronghold.  No force on Earth could stop what was about to happen.  Lolth would pay for killing her father and Dr. Carstonn, even if her own life was forfeit.  She threw the switch and waited for the final five seconds of life before the bomb sent out a wave of neutrons that would kill every living thing within these caverns without harming the earth itself.

~*~

          Jay walked into the Command Center's main high energy lab in time to see the situation unfold on the holo-tank.  "Alpha! What's Trini doing in Lolth's Lair?!"

          "Attempting to deploy a tactical nuclear device," was the tinny reply.

          "She's what?" Jay asked. "Why did you let her do that?"

          "She's overridden my programming," the robot answered.

          Without thinking Jay acted.  In a single move, he swept the small robot away from the console and hit the Ranger Emergency Recall command on the console.  It was a risky maneuver, it could well jeopardize all the Ranger's identities, but he couldn't let her die like this.  No matter where the Rangers were, or what they were doing, they were immediately teleported to the Command Center via the Quantum Shuntgates.

~*~

          The last thing Trini remembered was a flash of light and intense pain as the Quantum Shuntgate, the old Morphin' Teleporter and the neutron wave all hit her simultaneously.  There was searing pain, and then darkness.


End file.
